EPD, HCSO and Fire Department accompany kids for Shop with a Cop

On the morning of Saturday, 12/19/15, 28 children from the Boys & Girls Club and Betty Kwan Chinn Day Center had the opportunity to participate in the Eureka Police Department’s second annual Shop with a Cop event.  The event began at 7:00 AM at the Boys & Girls Club on Prospect Avenue where around 50 meals donated from the Eureka McDonald’s were served to all.

While the children were eating breakfast, they received a special visit from Santa Clause himself.  The children were then taken to Target via a motorcade of police and fire vehicles.  Each child was paired with an adult and given a $100.00 Target gift card to shop with for Christmas presents.

This year’s funding for Shop with a Cop was obtained through generous donations from many sponsors including the Eureka Neighborhood Block Party, KEKA - Eureka Broadcasting Trucker’s Christmas Parade, Timber Heritage Association, Vellutini Baking Co., Harper Ford, Eureka Police Foundation, and Eureka Police Officers’ Association.  In addition, McDonald’s provided free breakfasts and Target gave every child a 20% discount on their purchases.  In all, approximately $4,300.00 was raised for this year’s Shop with a Cop.

17 members of the Eureka Police Department (officers, dispatchers and other non-sworn employees) participated in the event along with 3 uniformed deputies from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and a Humboldt Bay Fire Department engine with 3 firefighters. Several family members of EPD personnel also participated.  All involved law enforcement personnel volunteered their own time for the event.

EPD would like to thank all those who made this event possible for these special kids.  We also thank those who may have been inconvenienced by the sights and sounds of the passing motorcade for their patience, understanding and goodwill.