Menu
A gift of hope...
There were no tears at Mountain Home Junior High School on Saturday morning. A few of the children seemed a bit uncertain while others felt a bit nervous with a healthy dose of anticipation mixed in for good measure.
For the most part, laughter and joy filled the large room at the school. To a point, it was also filled with hope -- a chance to make a difference in the lives of nearly 120 children and their families.
Mountain Home's annual Shop With A Cop program provided that hope. Celebrating its 14th year, it gave children of low-income families a chance to buy gifts for themselves and their loved ones.
In each case, these youngsters come from families facing extreme financial problems, said Police Sgt. Rick Viola, one of the event's organizers. Without this program, these children faced the possibility to seeing nothing beneath their Christmas trees on Dec. 25.
As part of the shopping experience, the youngsters are paired up with representatives from city, county and state law enforcement and emergency service agencies as well as airmen from Mountain Home Air Force Base.
"It's very exciting. We get to see a lot of children's wishes come true," said Senior Airman Vanessa Espinoza-Barraza from the 366th Logistics Readiness Squadron at the base.
Donna and Bill Kyle, who own both of the local McDonald's restaurants, continued a long-standing tradition Saturday morning by proving hot meals and beverages for each child and chaperone.
"We're just really happy to continue this tradition," Donna Kyle said. "It's amazing to see how everything just comes together."
"I see a lot of happy faces for certain," Bill Kyle added. "I see a community coming out to help and pull together for a common goal of helping kids in this community. We're just delighted to be a part of this."
The meal also allowed the chaperones to introduce themselves to their "foster children" and to learn more about one another. At one table, Airman 1st Class Leigha McIntosh helped Pamela cut her pancakes into bite sized portions. The airman was well aware of what the child wanted. "We already have a list for her little sister and her mom and dad," said McIntosh, a member of the 366th Security Forces Squadron at the base.
At another table, Deputy Rudy Foote, from the Elmore County Sheriff's Department, joked with Frederick as a smile lit up the young boy's face. Close by, Fred Casiano, from the local Citizens on Patrol team, watched as his partner, Jason, spun a toy across their table.
Following breakfast, the children and their chaperones packed into squad cards and other emergency vehicles parked in front of the school. With sirens blaring and lights flashing, the procession of vehicles made their way to the local Wal-Mart.
Once they arrived, most of the children made a beeline to the toy department. In many cases, they found a gift or two for themselves but focused on finding something for their brothers or sisters.
In other departments at the local retailer, the children scoured the clothing aisles while a few more searched elsewhere to find the right gifts for their loved ones. In one cart, a young boy picked out a couple of goldfish for his siblings while another found a fishing pole for his father.
"It's very selfless what they pick out for their families," said Senior Airman Jesse Howey from the 366th Component Maintenance Squadron.
Mary Morin from Pioneer Federal Credit Union, which helps raise funds for the yearly event, sees firsthand the depth of generosity these children and their chaperones have to offer. In one instance, a little girl this year used up her available money to buy gifts for each member of the family. But seeing that she lacked a winter coat, her chaperone went back and used his own money to get her a sturdy coat and a couple of outfits.
"We were seeing a lot of other kids buying clothes like coats and shoes," Morin added. "To me, it's an indication of the need for these things in these families."
Looking back, Viola expressed his gratitude to the number of volunteers that took time out of their day to help others in need. Each year, event organizers never know how many volunteers will show up at the junior high school to help, but each year there's always a "tremendous turnout," he said.
"The number is just phenomenal," Viola added.
Staff Sgt. Tammara Davis was one of many volunteers that returned to help out again this year.
"I have a lot of fun doing this each year," Davis said. "It's amazing to see so many people giving their time to help others in this community."
This year also marked the first time representatives with the Republic of Singapore air force joined the Shop With A Cop experience.
"We were told all about it and how we could get involved in the community," said Chee Yuan Yeo, one of the four members representing the 428th Fighter Squadron on Saturday. "Everything is so good. It's a great experience."
Shop With A Cop is made possible from the tens of thousands of dollars the credit union receives each year through donations from "deep hearted" businesses and private individuals, Morin said. Additional financial support comes from key sponsors like Idaho Power, Wal-Mart, Paul's Market and McDonald's.
While unable to fully credit everyone that helped make this year's program so successful, Morin credited organizations like the local Sinclair service station. The staff at the Sunset C business started collecting money nearly six months ago and received enough donations to support nearly 10 children in this year's program, she said.
More photos available in the Mountain Home News photo gallery