The Fannin County Sheriff’s Office Shop With A Cop program served a record number 285 children this year.
“This was made possible by all the generous donors and the volunteers who helped,” Shop With A Cop Board President Darvin Couch said.
Shopping day, Saturday, December 13, saw youngsters treated to a hot dog/hamburger meal and a trip to Walmart in Blue Ridge where they selected necessities – clothes, shoes and hygiene items, for instance – and a few toys.
“The folks at Walmart were great. They helped make the experience fun for the kids and easy for volunteers,” Couch said.
After shopping, the youngsters’ families were sent home with a food bag and all the fixings for a Christmas dinner including a ham.
Also, approximately 200 shoppers received warm winter coats thanks to donations from readers to The News Observer’s Coats for Kids drive.
“All of us on the Shop With A Cop board thank every volunteer and every one who made a donation,” Couch said. “Every contribution to the event helped tremendously.”
A special thanks was expressed to Linda Cole and her staff at Serenity in the Mountains for the Tour of Trees fundraiser, Walmart associates for all their help, the Fannin County School System for the use of the middle school, and all the volunteers who helped.