Local police agencies provide 50 kids an opportunity to shop for Christmas Gifts
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The Christmas season became a bit brighter for 50 children from the Randolph County area Monday night December 18 when police officers from Chester, Steeleville and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department provided the opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts.
Randolph County Sheriff’s Deputies and Chester and Steeleville Police Officers anxiously await the arrival of 50 “kids” who shopped for Christmas gifts at Walmart in Chester. The annual “Cops and Kids at Christmas” event took place Monday December 18 and was a huge success. Jim Beers Photo
The program titled, “Cops and Kids at Christmas”, better known by some across the country as, “Shop with a Cop”, took place at the Walmart store in Chester, Illinois. Shoppers began arriving at 5:00 p.m. and approximately 25 officers, agency personnel and their wives, assisted the 50 excited youngsters in spending their allotted funding amount on Christmas gifts.
Some of the shoppers concentrated on gifts for themselves while others remembered family members in their shopping plans. Either way, it was a night of fun, excitement and lots of smiling faces from both the young shoppers as well as their newly established police friends that supervised their shopping experiences.
Chester Walmart employees (left to right) Angela Kirchhofer, Lynsey Sparrow, and Stacy McCormick assist Santa and Mrs. Claus Monday December 18 at the Annual “Cops and Kids at Christmas” shopping night held at Walmart in Chester. The evening was a fun and exciting time for 50 local children who had the opportunity to spend $150 shopping wih Chester and Steeleville Police Officers and Randolph County Sheriff’s Deputies. Jim Beers Photo
Randolph County Sheriff, Jarrod Peters, Chester Chief of Police, Bobby Helmers, and Steeleville Chief of Police, Jim Zeidler, coordinated the evening’s activities while members of the three law enforcement agencies had a great time leading the shopping experiences.
Bobby Helmers, City of Chester Chief of Police said, “It’s an honor for all of the participating officers to help provide so many kids with a decent Christmas. This is something all of us look forward to every year!”
Chester Police Officer Steve Laramore assists his shopping buddy check out with his gifts worth $150 at the Chester Walmart during the 2023 “Cops and Kids at Christmas” event Monday December 18. There were 50 children that had this opportunity to shop with local Chester and Steeleville Police Officers and Sheriff’s Deputies to help them have a Merry Christmas! Jim Beers Photo
Sheriff Peters said, “We will be buying for approximately 50 kids this year. They all received $150 a piece to spend.”
When the kids arrived at the Chester Walmart, they were met at the door by Sheriff Peters, Chief Helmers or one of the other staff members that were assigned to have the initial contact with the kids and/or their parents.
Chester Police Officer Zach Woods and his shopping partner, Emma Lee show off some of her Christmas gifts that she selected at the 2023 Cops and Kids at Christmas” event sponsored by Chester, and Steeleville Police Officers and Randolph County Sheriff’s Deputies. This year 50 local kids had this opportunity to shop for $150 of Christmas gifts. Jim Beers Photo
Once at the location, the kids were checked-in, introduced to one of the officers that were awaiting their arrival, and the pair were off for an enjoyable shopping experience. The length of the shopping trips varied according the personalities of the kids and their abilities to find gifts for those on their shopping lists. Most purchased gifts for themselves as was the primary intention of the program.
The officers escorting them on their shopping journey kept track of how much each item had spent as they shopped. The kids were continually informed as to how much money from their $150 allotment was left for more purchases.
Erik Cowell, a Chester Police Officer, takes time out from shopping with his shopping partner, Nevaeh Frazer, at the “Cops and Kids at Christmas” event held at Chester Walmart Monday December 18. Each of 50 kids that were elected to take art in the 2023 shopping trip were allowed to purchase $150 in gifts for this year’s Christmas. Numerous local financial sponsors made this opportunity possible and the reaction from the 50 recipients was extraordinary, fun and exciting. Randolph County Sheriff’s Deputies, Steeleville and Chester Police Officers, Sheriff Jarrod Peters, Steeleville Chief of Police, Jim Ziedler, and Chester Chief of Police, Bobby Helmers, supervised the evening of shopping along with Walmart Employees Angela Kirchhofer, Lynsey, and Stacy McCormick. Jim Beers Photo .
Once finished shopping, the officer escorted the kids to a special check-out register located in the back of the store by the back door. Three Walmart employees dedicated their evening to assisting the shoppers and the accompanying officers during the check-out process. Those employees included Angela Kirchhofer, Lynsey Sparrow, and Stacy McCormick.
Once checked-out, kids and their gifts were escorted to the parking lot where their parents awaited their arrival. The entire process from arrival to departure was less than 30-munites for most kids.
Supervising staff had detailed lists of the kids and each was assigned a definite time to arrive to avoid confusion in the store. Kids and parents stayed in their automobiles in warmth and protection until their assigned times to shop. The entire process was well orchestrated and well supervised. All appeared to go very smoothly through the entire evening.
Anyone approaching Chester Walmart Monday December 18 at 5 p.m. might have been shocked to see the parking lot filled with approximately 20-plus police vehicles. Randolph County Sheriff’s cars, Chester Police cars and Steeleville Police cars lined the parking lot with engines running and a few of the emergency lights flashing to alert Santa and Mrs. Claus and 50 excited kids who were selected to take part in the 2023 “Cops and Kids and Christmas” shopping event. There were 50 children scheduled to come to Chester Walmart to shop with a cop for $150 worth of Christmas gifts throughout the evening. The event, sponsored by numerous local individuals and businesses, was a huge success and both “Cops and Kids” had a great time! Jim Beers Photo
Sheriff Peters said, “The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office would like to express its appreciation to Chester Walmart, Officers from the Chester Police Department, Steeleville Police Department, and Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office, who helped with our annual “Cops and Kids at Christmas event.”
“Through generous donations, along with our bucket brigade that was held on November 10th, we were able to shop with 50 kids and spend $150 on each of them. It is truly rewarding to be able to give back to these kids and see the smiles on their faces.”
“Personally. I would like to thank all of the officers and deputies, as well as their spouses, for volunteering their time to help make all of these kids’ day!”
Sheriff Peters and Chief Helmers both noted that they would personally like to thank the many donors who made the 2023 “Cops and Kids at Christmas” shopping experience such a huge success. Many of those donors wish to remain anonymous, therefor, for purposes of this publication, individual donors will not be listed or mentioned.
Everyone who helped make the 2023 project such a great success is to be commended, however, and the 50 kids who were the recipients of the gifts for Christmas 2023 were exceptionally thankful and appreciative of the efforts of the many people who made “Cops and Kids at Christmas” possible this year!