Each year during the month of
December the Warren County Sheriff’s Department
adopts local children to participate in the “Shop
with a Deputy Program.” This program is possible
due to the fundraising efforts of the Sheriff’s
Department Ladies Auxiliary, local donors, and the Warrenton
Wal-Mart store.
On the day of the shopping event the children are
partnered with a uniformed deputy and a member of
our ladies auxiliary, and allowed to spend $100.00
on merchandise at their own discretion at our local
Wal-Mart store.
The shopping programs are a rewarding experience
for all who participate. Deputies are tested on their
knowledge of fitting shoes to little girls, making
determinations whether pants fit, and which toy, video
game, stuffed animal, or type of skate board was the
best. The deputies end the day feeling that they had
participated in a very positive activity to benefit
the community, and the children were able to interact
with the deputies on a personal level having nothing
to do with an enforcement contact.
After all the groups are finished shopping, everybody
meets back at the Sheriff’s Office so the gifts
could be wrapped by the Ladies Auxiliary to be delivered
by a deputy at a later date to the child’s home.
It is a heartwarming experience to be able to spend
time with the children is such a manner, and to know
that their Christmas holiday had been made a little
better.
When the program was first started in 2007 we sponsored
seven children, in 2008 we increased the program to
twelve children, and in 2009 we were able to sponsor
eighteen children. The eventual goal for the program
is that each uniform deputy could adopt a child for
the shopping trip. Persons interested in supporting
the program for next year are urged to contact the
Sheriff’s Department Ladies Auxiliary at auxiliarybd@wcsdmo.net
or by calling 636-456-4332 extension 285.
To see a slide show of the event
click
here.