A special shopping spree
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office hosts ‘Shop with a Cop’
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NEW MARTINSVILLE -- Some Christmas wishes came true for about 50 local children on Tuesday.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office is hosting its annual "Shop with a Cop" event this week with shopping sprees on Tuesday and today at Walmart in New Martinsville. A total of 104 children were selected to shop with local law enforcement officers this year, and the sheriff's office planned to take the students out to lunch at Quinet's Restaurant in New Martinsville afterward on both days. About half of the children picked out toys, clothing and accessories on Tuesday.
Each student paired up with a local law enforcement officer and went on a short shopping spree.
The toy aisles at Walmart were particularly crowded Tuesday morning as the students pointed out what they wanted.
Gabriella Isaly, a student at Beallsville Elementary School, eagerly picked out a new doll along with doll furniture and accessories with the help of Sgt. Christina Parden.
Sheriff Charles Black Jr. said the event has become a holiday tradition. He said that he has lost count of how many years the office has hosted "Shop with a Cop," but he believes this is the fifth, sixth or seventh year. Previous reports found at timesleaderonline.com show that the program was conducted in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. The 2021 article notes that the program was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I feel that due to the fact we actually take the time to take the children shopping shows them that we really care about their needs," Black said.
The event supports students within the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District including students from River Schools, Beallsville Schools and Powhatan Point Schools. Black explained that even though Powhatan Point is located in Belmont County, the school is part of the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District, which falls under the Monroe County Sheriff's Office's jurisdiction.
Black said he is grateful that the school district provided buses to transport the students to Walmart. He said that once the students finish shopping and eating lunch, the buses take them back to their school to finish out the school day.
Walmart employees provided the children with goodie bags filled with Christmas cookies and drinks as they completed their shopping trip. Black said the sheriff's office has a great partnership with the shopping center, and popular toys and other items are stocked up in preparation for the trip.
Besides providing students with holiday gifts, the program also helps local youth build positive relationships with law enforcement officers. Black said the program relies on support from the community, and the sheriff's office is already accepting donations for next year.
"We really appreciate all the support of the public, all the donations we received to support the cause," he said.
Anyone who would like to make a donation to the Monroe County "Shop with a Cop" program can send a check to the office, located at 47129 Moore Ridge Road, Woodsfield, OH 43793. Black asks that donors write "Shop with a Cop" in the memo line.
"This program allows me to spend time with these children, and your generous donations help us make a difference in their lives," Black said.
For more information, call the sheriff's office at 740-472-1612 or 740-472-9117 or follow the Monroe County Sheriff's Office on Facebook.