Not many children dream of walking down the aisle of a store chatting with a police officer or asking a firefighter which shoes will help them run faster. But for many children in Edgar County, shopping with a cop is an event they look forward to every year.
For 32 years, the Paris Police Department and Paris Police Association have raised funds to take local schoolchildren shopping for essential clothing items like jackets, shoes, socks and new school clothes around Christmas time. In 2022, the event benefited 201 children in need, and in 2023, 271 local children participated. This year, nearly 300 children shopped at the Paris Walmart for clothing essentials alongside a friendly face at 7 a.m. on Dec. 14.
“This is the second time we have done this and to see the happiness that comes to their faces when they get to shop with like an officer, or a firefighter is just really cool,” a parent told a Prairie Press reporter while waiting in line. “It is kind of like a big start to Christmas … they get coats and boots and whatever they need and we get to see the good guys. They get a reminder of who the good guys are.”…