Shop with a Cop program brings joy to area youth

RITZVILLE – A dozen kids got to shop with a cop Saturday, Dec. 12. The program, organized by Police Chief Dave McCormick, has been going on for a couple decades, and while concessions had to be made this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event provided a great deal of joy, based on the smiles all around.

Etenia Slater-Burns, Sequoia Slater-Burns, Chaska Slater -Burns, Jaxon Duchesneau, Michealah Sherman, Samantha Cody, Erickah Cody, Lana Adamson, Aiden Instasi, Dante Reynolds, Tobias Reynolds, and Riker Miller were taken shopping at participating businesses Memories Hidden Treasures, the Ritzville Drug Store and Love’s Travel Stop.

Law enforcement volunteers donating their time were Sgt. Mark Cameron, Officer Matthew Carlson and Chief McCormick from the Ritzville Police Department; and Sheriff Dale Wagner, Sgt. Juan Garcia, Corp. Darryl Barnes, Blake Hampton, Hunter Klewin, Sgt. Ben Buriak, Corrections Sgt. Seth Henkel, Corrections Officer Even Armstong, Dispatchers Melissa Shepherd and Nikki Martinez, and Civil Deputy Vanessa Grimm from the Adams County Sheriff’s Department.

Each child received a large Christmas shopping bag containing wrapping paper, bows, gift name tags and tape to wrap gifts at home they purchased for family members. The gift bags also contained a Christmas stocking filled with candy canes, chocolate treats and a gift card from McDonald’s.

“Due to the current restrictions placed on the state for safety reasons, we were not able to help the kids with wrapping, drinking hot cocoa and eating cookies at the Ritzville Senior Center after shopping like we have done in year’s past,” McCormick said. “Hopefully we can return to normal before next year, as part of the fun and bonding with the children is helping with the wrapping process.”

In addition to the gifts, the Shop with a Cop program was able to purchase and distribute $1,200 in gift cards for local grocery stores to the families of the kids that participated, and several other families as well, McCormick said.

“Thanks to grant funding received, the Ritzville Volunteer Fire Department provided wrapped gifts for each child, and to an additional four children who did not participate in the shopping trip,” McCormick said. “The four other children received the same stocking filled with treats and wrapping supplies that were delivered to their homes.”

The Volunteer Fire Department received a grant entitled “Holiday Kids’ Tree Project,” sponsored by the Association of Washington Business.

“We received $3000 to give back to our community,” Katelin Davidson, secretary of the volunteer fire department said. “We spent $650 in toys for the Shop with a Cop program, and plan to use the remaining funds to assist community programs and local families.”

“Katelin Davidson, Scott Kembel, Chad Hoeft, Joel Bell, Ned Bernath, and Mark Cameron of the Ritzville Volunteer Fire Department did the shopping and wrapping of the gifts purchased through the grant,” McCormick said. “They also were able to purchase $1,500 in food gift cards, snacks and treats for other families in the community.”

McCormick said the Ritzville Drug Store, Memories Treasuries, and Ritzville Lumber, along with several donors who wish to remain anonymous make the Shop with a Cop program possible. Donations are accepted all year at City Hall, and checks made out to the Ritzville Chamber Shop with a Cop are tax-deductible.

“The Shop with a Cop funds are managed by the Chamber, but the funds are not used for any chamber programs, and all expenditures are approved by the police department,” McCormick said. “There are families with children in need from time to time throughout the year who are assisted by the Shop with a Cop program. Without these donations, this program would not be possible.”