(Submitted by the Wood County Fraternal Order of Police)
The Wood County Fraternal Order of Police is again hosting its annual Cops and Kids Shopping Event on Saturday Dec. 7, at the Meijer in Rossford. Because of the growth of this program, we have added a second day on Dec. 14 at the Bowling Green Meijer.
This is an event where police officers are paired up with children from the area and provided a gift card to spend on clothing and toys. This is more than just about shopping, it is about building relationships between the kids and police officers.
This year Meijer will again be hosting Cops and Kids here in Wood County. Last year, local law enforcement was able to take 147 kids shopping. The majority of the financial support comes from the community, local businesses and local organizations. The FOP could not achieve this without the support of the community. This event is a great opportunity for law enforcement and the community to work together to make local children’s holiday season a little brighter.
The kids who are invited to participate are referred by the local schools as well as from the officers. On a daily basis, police officers are responding to calls here in Wood County. As a result, they are in homes where they can see firsthand that a particular family could benefit from a helping hand.
The officers are paired up with a child from their jurisdiction and given a cart, a gift card and sent on their way to shop and more importantly, build a positive relationship. They must first buy a coat. The remaining money can be spent on toys, clothing or other needed items.
The positive impact this has on the local kids and community is not really measurable. And again, our local police officers could not pull it off without the financial support of the community. Every dollar raised is spent on the kids. Officers are currently selling $5 raffle tickets as well as accepting donations. A gift of $125 will sponsor a child, however any size donation would certainly be appreciated.
Any questions, or if you would like to buy a raffle ticket or make a donation, call the Wood County Fraternal Order of Police at 419-353-9728. Donations can also be sent to the Wood County FOP, P.O. Box 122, Bowling Green, OH 43402.
