Shop with a cop
By JARED PUTNAM

Everyone gathered at the Blairsville Police Department to set out for Wal-Mart.

The Blairsville Police Department held its annual "Shop with a Cop" event Saturday, as officers and volunteers chaperoned local children on a Christmas shopping trip to Wal-Mart. Twenty children received a helping hand this year, as each boy or girl was given $250 to spend. The day later wrapped up with lunch at Papa's Pizza.

"The kids had a ball. It was an all-day adventure," said Cindy Neely of the Blairsville Police Department. She said that needs were addressed during the day, as everyone made sure that any child that needed a coat received one. While the children did buy some things for themselves, they largely bought items for other members of their family.

Neely said that one little boy said he "felt like this was a dream and he didn't want to wake up," while a little girl described her experience as something "like Alice in Wonderland."

Neely praised everyone that took part in the day and made the event possible. "Our help was wonderful," she said. "I can't say enough about John," referring to John Hill, a coach in the Union County School system who helped out.

This was the sixth year for the Shop with a Cop program. The money for the children primarily comes from the police department's annual Glow in the Dark Golf Tournament, as well as donations from other people in the community. The children taken each year are typically referred to the Blairsville P.D. through the local middle school and high school.