Pictured: Stacy Hartman, wife of Greenfield Police Chief Brian Hartman, helps Oliver, 2, with shoes during the annual Cops-4-Kids shopping spree Sunday at Walmart in Greenfield. Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
GREENFIELD — A smiling 7-year-old girl sashayed down the aisle at Walmart, bopping along to the sound of “All I Want for Christmas is You” blaring from the speakers.
It was a magical morning for Samiah, a first-grader at Harris Elementary School, who was among the 30 children chosen to shop with a cop on Sunday morning, Dec. 5, as part of the Greenfield Police Department’s annual Cops-4-Kids program.
Twenty-one officers from GPD took part in the shopping spree, each paired with one or more children from local families who expressed the need for a little help this holiday season.
The weekend was a lot of fun for a number of lucky kids throughout Hancock County, as not only the Greenfield police but the Fortville and McCordsville police departments and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department all had holiday shopping sprees for children.
The Fortville and McCordsville departments partnered with the Buck Creek and Vernon Township fire departments on Saturday to shop for kids through the fourth annual Holidays with Heroes event.
The event was sponsored in part by the McCordsville Meijer and Daniel’s Vineyard, the latter of which hosted a free brunch for all participants.
Forty volunteers from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department gathered at the Greenfield Walmart on Saturday to shop for 34 kids from 15 families.
The annual Shop with a Deputy event, which dates back more than 20 years, is a great way for the deputies to make a real impact for local families at the holidays, said office administrator Penney Weiler, who helps manage the program each year.
“We can’t do it without our donors. We get lots of help and support from both individuals and organizations,” she said.
Dana Nance said the same is true for the GPD program, which gets support from a number of local businesses and individuals each year. She also expressed gratitude to those officers who volunteered.
“I want to thank all our officers who participated and made Christmas very special for 30 kids this year,” said Nance, records keeper for the GPD.
Thirty kids from 11 families participated in the department’s program this year.
Officer Josh Bustin and his wife, Rachel, were shopping with Samiah, who grinned from ear to ear as she filled her cart with clothes and toys.
The Greenfield officers picked up the kids at their homes on Sunday morning, then met up together for breakfast at McDonald’s before heading to Walmart to make holiday wishes come true.
Joe Munden, an evidence custodian for the Greenfield Police Department, said the holiday program is a great way to not only help families in need but to build positive relationships with kids.
“One year I was shopping for two boys who were about 3 and 7 years old, and you could tell they were kind of scared of us when we picked them up that morning,” Munden recalled.
“At first they didn’t speak a word, but by the end of the day we were best buds,” he said. “This gives kids the chance to see cops in a way they might not see portrayed on TV.”
This year, Munden and his wife Tonia were shopping for a pair of sisters, ages 5 and 7.
The girl’s family opted not to have them attend the shopping event, an option offered this year and last due to COVID, so the Mundens used a gift list the family provided to fill the cart with Legos, dolls and clothes.
Munden took a tiny red blouse off the rack and checked the size before placing it in the cart.
He’s been participating in the Cops-4-Kids program for about 20 years now. He and his wife look forward to it each year.
“I just love seeing the kids’ faces light up when they get their presents,” he said.
“Seeing their joy brings tears to your eyes and just makes your heart feel good,” said his wife. “We’re so blessed to have a community that supports a program like this.”
Patrolman Zach Petrey brought along his wife, Kara, on Sunday. They were paired up with 10-year-old Delilah, a fourth-grader at Greenfield Intermediate School.
As his wife helped Delilah pick out a few toys, Petrey took a moment to reflect on what a blessing the Cops-4-Kids program is for the children as well as the police officers who shop alongside them.
“It’s always so rewarding to see the joy and excitement in the kids’ faces. If we can take some stress off of the parents at the holidays, then that’s great too,” he said.
Patrolman Danny Williams shared the same sentiment as he shopped alongside 6-year-old Jackson, a kindergartner at Harris Elementary School.
Williams pushed the shopping cart overflowing with clothes and toys as Jackson rode along, gripping the front of the cart.
“We’ve just got about 10 more dollars to spend, bud,” said the patrolman, as Jackson looked wide-eyed at the toys stacked up on the shelves.
Each child was allotted $350 to spend, with the majority going toward necessities like clothes, but plenty was set aside for toys and other fun stuff as well.
Jackson proudly pulled a Fortnite-themed Nerf gun out of the cart, showing off part of his stash Sunday morning.
Williams, his shopping buddy, said seeing the joy in kids’ faces is just as rewarding as seeing the appreciation in parents’ eyes when the officers deliver the kids and toys back home.
“One lady had made us cookies when we got back one year,” said Williams, who took over the department’s D.A.R.E. program this year.
“The parents hugged us and were crying as they thanked us,” he said. “I left there sobbing that year.”
