The long-running Cops and Kids program is gearing up for its 35th year, with local law enforcement, firefighters, EMS crews, probation officers, and volunteers preparing to take 152 children shopping at the Washington Walmart on December 18 around 10:30 a.m. Keith Henderliter and Angie Bruner joined WAMW’s Take Five for Your Community yesterday to highlight the event, which brings together officers and children for a day of holiday shopping, mentorship, and fun. Kids arrive with both needs and wish lists, and each child is expected to receive about $200 worth of clothing and gifts. The program is entirely funded by community donations from Daviess and Martin counties. Contributions can be made in person at any local police or sheriff’s department or mailed to the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office (Attention: Cops and Kids). Pace Head Start has partnered with the program since its beginning. This year, 73 Head Start students will participate. Bruner said the excitement in the classrooms is already building, and children often talk about the experience months afterward, especially after meeting positive role models such as police officers. On shopping day, officers will pair up with children, help them choose items, and escort them through the store before kids return to school for a McDonald’s lunch. Special guests, including Santa, the Grinch, McGruff, and Sparky, are also scheduled to appear. Organizers say the event wouldn’t be possible without community support, Walmart’s longstanding cooperation, and dozens of volunteers who make the day memorable each year.
