Staff Reports
Jefferson Police jumped in last Saturday and helped make Shop With A Cop a huge success.
92.3 FM The Depot radio station organized the event. When announced, they hoped for 15 sponsors to donate $100 for a deserving child to spend on Christmas presents for their family and themselves and it was expected to be just a local Marshall event.
To everyone’s surprise, sponsorships poured in from local businesses, organizations, and individuals in Marshall and Hallsville. East Texas Performing Arts represented Jefferson by sponsoring a child.
The event exploded into an adventure that required help from four police departments, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, and three school principals. Eighty-six children, ages 5-12, were sponsored.
Preston Taylor, who hosts the Texas Sounds International Country Music show on 92.3 FM The Depot, asked Jefferson Police Chief Florentino Perez, just two days before the event, if any Jefferson Police might want to help. Despite such short notice, four Jefferson police officers, including the Chief himself, volunteered immediately and showed up to spend the morning with the children. Jefferson is served by great law enforcement personnel.
The morning started with breakfast for all donated by Pietro’s in downtown Marshall. Then, an amazing motorcade.
Two school buses and nearly twenty police vehicles, with full lights and sirens, took the kids to Walmart. There, each officer was assigned at least two children, and away they went, buying presents and enjoying themselves. One girl asked her officer, “How many hours do we have to shop?”
She didn’t want it to end.
Volunteers wrapped nearly 500 presents with materials donated by Walmart. What an enterprise that turned out to be!
With all their packages in hand, the school buses took everyone to What-A-Burger, where they were prepared to instantly serve 150 meals to children and adults.
Thank you to everyone who helped, with a special portion of gratitude for Jefferson police for stepping in at the last minute and helping save the day.