With Christmas less than a week away, there are 47 more children and families ready for the celebration thanks to Callaway County's annual Shop With a Cop program.
Maj. Roger Rice with the Fulton Police Department said the event is a year-long effort, with Officer Joe Schram - also with Fulton PD - leading the cause. Preparation includes finding donors throughout the community to supply funding for Walmart gift cards - of which each child received $100 worth to spend on themselves and family members. Dollar General also gave each boy and girl a stocking filled with goodies.
Saturday's Shop With a Cop event started with handing out of the stockings from Dollar General at the Fulton Police Department. Gathered in the station were emergency personnel from various agencies, including the Fulton Police and Fire departments, Holts Summit Police and Fire departments, New Bloomfield Police and Fire departments, Callaway County Sheriff's Office, Callaway County Emergency Medical Services, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Corrections and the U.S. Army.
The kids poured into police cars, fire trucks and ambulances and headed to Walmart to spend their gift cards. Sirens and horns sounded on their route.
"We're going to wake Fulton up this morning and let them know we're doing something important," Rice said.
This was the first year for Penny Weston's daughter to participate in the event. Weston, of Mexico, said all the giving made her wonder what more she could do for others.
"I think this is an awesome thing the community is doing...It shows that (the children) aren't forgotten," she said.
Holts Summit Firefighter Karl Funck said he has fun watching the kids shop and learning their stories in the process.
"(I enjoy) watching the kids light up during their Christmas shopping," he said.