MONROE, Mich. — The ninth Annual Dundee 'Shop with a Cop' took 14 area children to the Monroe, Michigan, Walmart Thursday evening to shop with a police officer for Christmas presents.
The 10 different families met with about a dozen police officers for dinner before heading out to shop. During dinner, kids, parents and guardians got to talk to one another and the officers, as well as Santa. After dinner, everyone hopped on the Santa Express Bus, provided for by the Lake Erie Transit Service.
The bus was decked out in festive holiday decorations. From the Dundee Village Office, where dinner was held, to Walmart, the bus had a police escort. The excited boys and girls were ready to shop till they dropped, with a cop, on a $125 dollar limit.
Third-grade student Jackson Jewell said was excited, even though the spending limit dashed some of his shopping dreams.
"I was like, really excited," he said. "I thought my budget was anything. But, no, it's $125 dollars. I'm thinking a guitar or an electronic piano keyboard."
Jackson and his mother, Jamie Jewell, got to pair up with Jackson's favorite officer, Jeff Corie, one of the Dundee Community Schools' Resource Officers.
The event was special for Corie too, as it was his first year volunteering for Shop With a Cop.
"Now we get to help them and their families out," he said. Why wouldn't we be here? We get to go play with Santa Clause and go shopping. It's great."
The trio traveled up and down the toy and electronic aisle of Walmart in search of any electronic musical instrument. Unfortunately, none could be found.
But, Jackson was a shopper on a mission, so he shifted gears and found a camcorder. Plus, they found Pokémon cards to add to his collection.
"It's awesome," Corie said, "Everybody's smiling, volunteering their time to take these kids shopping tonight. It's going to be a great night."
Additionally, each of the 10 families from the event will be given a $100 dollar Kroger grocery gift card to make sure they have a nice holiday feast.