By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The Jacksonville Police Department and the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 16 recently hosted the department’s annual shop with a cop program at the Jacksonville Walmart Supercenter.
The department has held the event for over 25 years.
This year, 19 children in need were nominated by their schools to participate in the Christmas shopping event.
Each child was paired up with a member of the police department. The children were given $150 each to purchase gifts for themselves and their families. After a morning of shopping, the youngsters and officers had breakfast at McDonalds.
“They get to have Christmas. It is a real blessing. It’s been a really hard year. This program is amazing,” participant Sian Eckman said.
School resource officer Jeremiah Terrell said it was his first time participating in the shop with a cop program. He said it was a very rewarding experience.
Gloria Estrada said the shop with a cop program definitely helped her because she is a single mom with three children.
Her son, Peter, got a T-Rex dinosaur and her daughter got a pony.
“I wouldn’t have bought the T-Rex for my child because they are expensive for me,” Estrada said.
Amanda Williams said, “It is a blessing. I have five children at home and am taking care of a grandbaby 80 percent of the time. She lost her little brother a few months ago. We didn’t really have money for Christmas.”
Williams continued, “We are thankful for the Jacksonville Police Department. They help with guiding the children in the right direction. (The children) were in the junior police academy and they enjoyed that a lot. (The officers) are always helping out, always at the schools talking with them.”
She also thanked Jacksonville High School’s student council for helping support the shop with a cop program.
“It was fun. My kids love officer Corbin and requested her,” Williams said.
Lt. Jason Garcia said, “It is one of my favorite things every year. You help folks in the community have a better Christmas that may be having a hard time. This is the biggest thing the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) does. We do it every year. It is a big thing the public remembers all year round. I love it. I like to see the kids’ smiles on their faces. It really means a lot for them. It makes it worth it.”