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 EEK OUT about two dozen elementary level youth from hard-pressed families who have little or no money to fill their Christmas shopping lists. Pair them up with an equal number of enthusiastic Longmont police officers.
Pick the kids up early on a Saturday morning and take them to meet their officer-partners over a hearty breakfast buffet. Hand each of these matched pairs $100 in cash, let them get acquainted, and plan their shopping strategy. After breakfast, transport them to the nearby Wal-Mart on a bus and let the shopping begin.
For the second consecutive year, the Longmont Breakfast Optimist Club (LBOC) sponsored "Shop with a Cop." This year, 26 youngsters and officers were matched for what has become a heart-warming project, not to mention a resounding success for all involved.
After LBOC members picked up the children (bright and early), Tim's Thai, a restaurant owned and operated by LBOC past-president Tim McLaughlin and his partner Paul, had a hot breakfast buffet waiting, along with the 26 officers who waited to meet their young shopping partners.
After the breakfast and a brief discussion of details, youth and cops boarded a bus for the short trip to Wal-Mart, where they grabbed shopping carts and headed for the merchandise-filled aisles.
As the pairs completed their shopping, LBOC members stood ready to transport them back to the restaurant, where officers, youth and club members waited to help with the gift wrapping.
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As the children "wrapped up" their morning of shopping, LBOC members waited to transport the young shoppers and their largesse home.
Longmont Police officer Devi Suess, who for the second year helped coordinate "Shop with a Cop," says L.P.D. loves the program. "The enthusiasm of the Optimists, Longmont police officers, and the kids themselves - it shows on the faces of everyone involved," Suess said.
One participating officer, after realizing his partner had spent all his money on gifts, without buying anything for himself, rushed back into the store to purchase a gift for the youngster. Wal-Mart shoppers were impressed, too. Several customers offered donations to support the program to Optimist members waiting at the store entrance.
Among the many projects LBOC sponsors throughout the year, club members unanimously agree that this one touches at the heart of the OI goal of serving youth.
LBOC's Tom Dueber coordinates the program for the club. Funds to support this and other projects come from LBOC's annual Service Club Golf Tournament and the annual Christmas Wreath Sale. Wal-Mart is also a generous contributor to this worthwhile project.
The long-range benefits that may be derived from this brief time spent with kids and cops coming together provides an opportunity to build stronger bridges and allow these young and impressionable students the opportunity to look favorably upon those who represent us in law enforcement and in the community.
--Don Heath, Longmont
Breakfast Optimist Club |
Optimist sponsors a new Member in the 2005-2006 Optimist year, they will be presented with a gold pin. Members are encouraged to wear the pin to proudly show that they are helping the organization grow so that Optimist Clubs everywhere can serve more children.