An article I wrote about the Westminster Police Department and Westminster Wal Mart annual “Shop With A Cop” Christmas program is in the November 28, 2007 Westminster Eagle: Kids and cops share a little holiday magic, 11/28/07 by
In addition to the Angel Tree, folks may make a donation to the “Westminster Police Department Shop With A Cop” program year round…
Shop With A Cop
Westminster Police Department
For more information please call (410) 848-4646 and ask for a soft a cuddly police office who may be able to tell you more about the Shop With A Cop program.
A YouTube video of the event can be found with My YouTube videos
Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding joined Wal Mart store manager Harry Anuszewski and Wal Mart employee, Debbie Sabock on Friday, November 16, 2007 to kick off the 4th annual "Shop With A Cop" Christmas program:
Westminster Maryland Shop With A Cop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h8-UCXul1I
Below, please find the long version of the article as it was submitted to the newspaper.
Westminster Police Department and Wal Mart kick off 4th annual Shop With A Cop program
Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding joined Wal Mart store manager Harry Anuszewski and Wal Mart employee, Debbie Sabock last Friday to kick off the 4th annual “Shop With A Cop” Christmas program.
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Of Christmas Angels and soft and cuddly police officers.
November 16th, 2007 by
Last Friday, November 16th, 2007, Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding and Westminster Wal Mart store manager Harry Anuszewski kicked off the 4th annual “Shop With A Cop” Christmas program at the Westminster Wal Mart.
They were joined by Bill Gereny - the owner of The Water Depot, Lori Graham representing the Night Train Foundation, members of the Westminster Police Department and curious shoppers.
In his remarks, Spaulding explained that the “Shop With A Cop is a program that allows our community to reach out to and help less fortunate children and families in our community and ensure that they have a great holiday season.”
The program which has helped 34 families and 72 children have a special Christmas in the past 3 years has designated 11 families and 24 children to be helped by this year’s efforts.
Spaulding said, “We are kicking off our celebration with the placement of this Angel Tree here at Wal-Mart. Each ornament on this tree represents a need for a needy child or family in our community. We are here today to invite the members of our community to be an ‘Angel’ and take one or more ornaments of the tree – purchase the gift – and leave the gift in this box here at the store. We will ensure that the gift is wrapped and delivered to the family in time for the holidays.”
The program was initiated by Wal Mart 4 years ago, said Spaulding. “Wal-Mart approached us in the fall of 2004 and asked if we would be interested in partnering with them on this effort. We jumped at the opportunity and we haven’t looked back. They also provided the initial seed money to make it a reality. Without their corporate citizenship – and the efforts of their hardworking and dedicated staff – we wouldn’t be standing here today.”
Anuszewski said he was “looking forward to seeing all the smiles on the excited childrens’ faces” at this year’s Christmas at Wal Mart event. “We here at Wal Mart believe in giving back to the community as part of our ‘Good Works and Good Neighbors’ initiative.” He went to say that he has “been impressed with how the (
Spaulding noted that Shop With A Cop “allows these children to bond with our police officers in a positive and non-threatening environment – and it provides our officers and staff with the opportunity to give back to the community we serve while building what can be long-term relationships with some of our youngest citizens.”
Westminster Police Sergeant Keith Benfer said that last year more than 80 different businesses made donations to Shop With A Cop. This year, in addition to Wal Mart, the Night Train Foundation, and The Water Depot, other contributors include the Carroll County Technology Council, that is donating computers and the Westminster Fire Department and Fire Police, who are donating bicycles. Some of the other contributors in the community are the Greater Westminster Development Corporation and Tom Riggin.
Westminster Police dispatcher Linda Knott and Westminster Police Administrative Assistant Karen Bullock were all smiles as they traded notes and made plans with Lori Graham for shopping with the families and police officers on December 15 and the holiday party which follows.
It was remembered that at last year’s event, (as mentioned in a Westminster Eagle article by Kym Byrnes,) one of the children who was partnered with Westminster Officer Steve Launchi, declared him “soft and cuddly.”
As folks chatted together after the event, many nodded their heads in agreement as Graham remarked that “is truly remarkable the sense of community and holiday spirit in
And how everyone is looking forward to December 15 to witness the “soft and cuddly” police officers help bring the spirit of Christmas to some
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His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed
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