WEST PLAINS, Mo. — Over 160 children were helped Saturday, December 14 at the 25th annual Shop With A Cop program in West Plains, which helps children in need purchase Christmas gifts for themselves and their family.
West Plains Police Department Information Officer John Murrell told Ozark Radio News that each child received $100 to spend on Saturday:
He added that the community support was so great this year that the local Fraternal Order of Police, which raises funds for the event, didn’t need to tap into grant funding from Walmart’s Walton Foundation:
The event was held, as always, at the West Plains Walmart. Store manager Trent Cockrum told Ozark Radio News that the day is one of the highlights of the year for workers at the store:
Last year’s Shop With A Cop totaled around 90 children from Howell County.
Organizations that participated in the event Saturday included the West Plains Police Department, West Plains, Howell County Rural, Moody, and Lanton fire departments, the Howell County Sheriff’s Office, the 37th Circuit juvenile office and children’s division, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, South Howell County Ambulance, the Missouri Department of Conservation, AirEvac, the Missouri Sheriffs Assoc. Training Academy, and the West Plains High School National Honor Society.
Other Shop With A Cop events Saturday included one in Oregon County, which helped 59 children, and another in Texas County, which helped 153 kids and raised over $15,000.
