The spirit of Christmas can be found at strange times in odd places ... like 7:30 a.m. in the Cockeysville Wal-Mart parking lot.

That's when 105 Baltimore County police cars came streaming in from York Road, lights flashing and sirens screaming.

Sitting next to each officer was a child being treated to a holiday shopping spree and a free breakfast.

The ninth annual Shop with a Cop program on Dec. 12 paired up a needy Baltimore County child with an officer. Each child had $100 to spend on presents, thanks to fundraising efforts of Optimist clubs from Cockeysville, Timonium, Hereford and Jacksonville, as well as Towson University.

The pairs were treated like celebrities as they passed through a long line of Optimists and Wal-Mart employees who greeted them with "Merry Christmas. How's it going? Have fun. Give me a high-five. Looking good. Happy holidays."

Cashier Mark Franklin took pictures of the children and cops as they entered, while Dulaney High School's band played holiday tunes.

"This is my first time doing this, and I don't want anybody to see my tears," Franklin said as he tugged his red and white Santa hat down over his eyes. "If this doesn't get you into the Christmas spirit, nothing will."

Robert McGraw, of Cockeysville precinct, and his pal, Anthony, roamed up one aisle and down another as Anthony looked for something for his mother. He chose a basket filled with hand lotions, soaps and shampoos.

"Anthony got gifts for his brother, two sisters, his mother and his step-father before he bought anything for himself," McGraw said.

Some children, such as Ockeya, brought a shopping list she had written on pink paper.

"Robe" was on the list, and a blue plaid robe for her mother was in the cart pushed by Shanae Johnson, assigned to the Cockeysville Police Athletic League Center.

"She knows exactly how much she has left," said Vickie Wareheim of Pikesville precinct, who accompanied Iyanla.

"Watch this," she added, then turned to Iyanla. "How much more do you have to spend?"

Iyanla, who had just picked out a white stuffed teddy bear for her best friend to add to the packs of socks that she bought herself, responded without hesitation.

"Thirty-nine fifty," she said.

The Optimists helped the children with check-out, then each pair headed over to Outback Steakhouse at Hunt Valley Towne Centre for a free lunch.

Officer Michael Schmitz, with the Essex precinct, said Outback approached him eight years ago with the Shop with a Cop idea. Schmitz went to his local Optimist club to help raise some shopping money for 25 children that first year.

The 125 youngsters in this year's program were selected from lists compiled by Baltimore County police officers who recommend children they know from schools, Police Athletic League Centers and other programs. Most are in upper elementary school grades or in middle school.

"This is just such a great event," said Timonium Optimists member Ann Siegmund, who has chaired the event for the past five years.

"Mike Schmitz does all the coordination on the police side and the Optimist clubs do the rest," she said. "For most of us, it's our favorite program."

---

user comments (0)