Wadesboro police officers took local kids on a Christmas shopping spree Dec. 18 as part of the agency’s annual Shop with a Cop initiative.
Eleven children met at the police station and were treated to lunch at a local restaurant before going to Walmart to pick ou gifts for themselves and their family members.
Each child was given a $200 gift card. They teamed up with an officer and a Walmart employee, who guided the children through the store and kept a tally of their items’ cost.
Baby Alive dolls, clothes, My Life Dolls and makeup sets were all popular items.
Cheyenne Cassidy, 7, showed off her shopping cart, which included Barbies, Monster High dolls, My Little Pony toys and Tic Tacs, among other items.
Aaliyah Ingram, 9, bought a My Life Doll, a Baby Alive doll, clothes, shoes, perfume, a nail set, a sleeping bag and other items.
Shane Cassidy, 4, had a cart full of items but was particularly happy with a foam sword he purchased.
One more child was signed up to participate but had to have surgery that morning, according to Chief Thedis Spencer. Officers took photos with the child at his school on Friday and a social worker will give him his Walmart gift card at a later date.
The Wadesboro Police Department holds Shop with a Cop each year to give underprivileged children special Christmas gifts. The department holds fundraisers and collects donations that determine the amount of money children will have to spend each year.
Donations made after each trip are rolled into the next year’s fund.
To learn more about Shop with a Cop, call the Wadesboro Police Department at 704-694-2167.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.