By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Eight-year-old Roman Vasquez, of Bowling Green, and Lake Township Patrolman Don Egan were on a mission at Meijer Saturday morning.
The two had an empty cart and a full list of Christmas wishes to fill.
“All right Roman, let’s go do some shopping,” Egan said to the third grader from Conneaut Elementary.
But first, a quick visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus seemed prudent. The two posed with the couple from the North Pole, and Roman shared some of the items on his wish list.
Then they were off – the young boy and the police officer who has been mentoring him since September. The pair were among 200 children and law enforcement officers matched up through the annual “Cops and Kids” shopping experience – last week at Meijer in Rossford, and this Saturday at Meijer in Bowling Green.
“He is so excited,” Roman’s mother, Christina Reinhard said. “He adores him and talks about him all the time,” she said about her son’s mentor.
Egan steered the cart toward necessities first – shoes and clothes.
“Then we’ll get the fun stuff,” Egan said to Roman.
As they patrolled the aisles, the pair joked with each other.
“I know what you want,” Egan said, pointing out some pink fuzzy slippers. As they encountered other law enforcement officers in the store, Egan would introduce his shopping partner.
“This is my man, Roman,” he would say. And Roman would extend his arm for a handshake.
In the shoe section, the two searched for the perfect tennis shoe. Roman’s rule was no white shoes – since they get dirty so quickly. After trying on a few pairs, they happened upon a sleek gray style.
“This is really comfy,” Roman said with a smile.
Then it was on to a couple Carhartt shirts, a flannel, sweatshirt and some thick gloves.
With the necessities in the cart, the partners headed to the toy department.
“Let’s go get some cool stuff,” Egan said.
There they found the top item on Roman’s list – a pair of boxing gloves. The punching bag was too expensive, so instead they got punch mitts and of course, a mouth guard.
“We’re over a little bit, but don’t worry, I got you,” Egan said to Roman.
Egan, who is retired from CSX Police, now works for Lake Township Police. He spent part of his childhood at the Miami Children’s Home for orphaned children, and believed he could offer help to children facing challenges in their lives.
That’s when he was matched up with Roman.
“We play chess and we talk about responsibilities,” Roman said, as he sucked on a candy cane. “He taught me about how can you be trusted with big stuff if you can’t be trusted with little stuff.”
And as far as the chess, it seems Roman might be teaching Egan a bit.
“As soon as I learned, I was beating him at every game,” the 8-year-old said, and the police officer nodded in agreement.
Dan Van Vorhis, who organizes the event through the Fraternal Order of Police, said the annual event is about far more than shopping.
“We have worked on adding little parts of this event to give the kids the opportunity to have exposure to traditions or experiences they might not have before,” Van Vorhis said.
This year, Santa and Mrs. Claus made an appearance, listening to children’s wishes and taking pictures with them. While visits with Santa were common occurrences in past holiday seasons, that is no longer the case for many families, Van Vorhis said.
The looks on children’s faces as they talk with Santa are priceless, he said.
“Some seemed amazed that he is real,” Van Vorhis said. “Some kids brought their lists ready to present them to Santa. A couple colored pictures of things they would like Santa to deliver. One young girl had an amazing drawing of a pony. When Santa remarked on her talent of drawing, the smile on her face obviously showed the importance of someone acknowledging her talent.”
Children are also given an opportunity to pick out presents for their siblings and other family members.
“We want the kids to have the opportunity to give gifts. In many instances, the kids seemed to enjoy picking things out for their brothers and sisters, more than themselves.”
Then there’s the chance to wrap presents.
“Most kids have never wrapped a gift,” Van Vorhis said. “The kids seem to have an added level of satisfaction learning and wrapping their gifts. Just another small part of the holidays that they probably would not have the chance to experience.”
An added treat this year came from Wood County resident Harry Reynolds, who provided a $2 bill for each of the kids participating. Reynolds explained that years back, someone provided him with a $2 bill during an event. He kept that bill as a keepsake.
“So, each of the kids were given an envelope with a $2 bill,” Van Vorhis said. “It was explained that Mr. Reynolds said the kids can spend the money or keep it to remember participating. All the kids decided to keep it and take it home.”
Van Vorhis explained that once the kids are paired up with an officer, it is suggested that the parents not tag along.
“This gives a chance for the kids to actually make decisions on their own without a family member interjecting what they think they should do,” he said. “This is probably what I feel is the best part of this program. Most times, for the first time in their life, they get to make decisions for themselves.”
Most of the children ask for clothing before toys.
“They know what they need, and then what they want,” Van Vorhis said. “Kind of cool, and sad, how these kids know what basic necessities they need. They work with the officer in keeping track of what they are spending to stay within their budget. A lot of times, they must choose between which toys they would rather have, and then put the other toy back on the shelf.”
During this time, the kids are the focus of the officers’ attention.
“Having brothers and sisters at home, a lot of time kids do not get to be the focus. Some great one-on-one conversations between the kids and officers. A chance for the kids to look past the police badge and realize the officers are human,” Van Vorhis said.
