Early Christmas in Calexico
Toys flew off the shelves at a rapid pace Monday morning when 30 children descended on the Wal-Mart Supercenter here during the Calexico Police Department’s annual Kids ‘N’ Badges program.
The program, now in its 14th year, paired local children with Police Department personnel for a morning that included a McDonald’s breakfast, a ride in a police patrol car, a visit by a helicopter-riding Santa Claus, and a $100 shopping spree.
One of the first items to make it into 14-year-old Lorena Gonzalez’s shopping cart was a battery-operated dinosaur action figure for her younger brother, who attends preschool and who was not able to join in the fun.
For herself, Lorena chose a “Wonder Woman” doll. Although Lorena said she is a fan of all the recent superhero movies, she wouldn’t mind seeing more women superheroes like Wonder Woman.
“I liked it when she saved the world,” Lorena said.
Escorting Lorena and her sister throughout the day was Calexico Officer Celia Romero. During breakfast, Romero said she was able to chat with the Gonzalez sisters and had noticed that the pair gradually became more engaged in the conversation as time wore on.
Romero has been participating in the program for the past 10 years, initially as a public safety dispatcher and this year as an officer.
“It’s just something to do for the kids and give back to the community,” she said.
Prior to the shopping spree, kids and adults alike sang “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Feliz Navidad” as they waited in the parking lot for Santa Claus, whose dramatic arrival made use of a Reach helicopter instead of a reindeer-driven sled.
The 30 kids who participated Monday represented children who at one time or another had made use of the Calexico Unified School District’s Family Resource Center, said coordinator Hortencia Armendariz.
This year, six siblings from one family were given invitations to participate, as were three siblings who a year ago had a dismal attendance record and who now attend school consistently.
“We’re so proud of those three students,” Armendariz said. “They and their parents really have turned it around.”
Enjoying his first day on the job as interim city manager, David Dale was among the multiple dignitaries from the city who were on hand for the event, including Mayor Maritza Hurtado and Councilman Armando Real.
At one point, Dale had approached Armendariz to inquire how the city might be able to support the holiday fun in the future.
“I have a soft spot for kids, especially underprivileged ones,” Dale said.
Monday’s Kids ‘N’ Badges event comes on the heels of a similar event that had also provided dozens of local Valley children with a festive meal and a $100 shopping spree last week at Target in El Centro.
That event, known as Shop With a Cop, involved 109 local children ages 6 to 12 as well as the participation of personnel from nearly 20 local law enforcement agencies and organizations.
The program’s young participants were chosen with the help of the county Department of Social Services and the Court Appointed Special Advocates, said Magda Franco, associate executive director of United Families Inc., which had helped coordinate the event and also provides local children with daycare and early education.
The number of participating children increased this year, compared to the 80 to 90 children that had participated in years prior.
This year’s participating agencies included the El Centro and Imperial police departments, Border Patrol, county District Attorney’s Office, Probation Department and Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, Calipatria and Centinela state prisons, state Parole Board, Quechan Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, Imperial Irrigation District, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations, Naval Air Facility El Centro military police, as well as the Westmorland Fire Department and the Blue Knights motorcycle club.
“We’ve just gotten bigger and bigger,” Franco said.
Franco’s participation with the Shop With a Cop event dates back about 20 years, initially as a volunteer and more recently by helping safeguard the event’s raised funds in the nonprofit’s bank accounts.
To see the initial nervousness that participating children may have eventually give way to happiness and excitement is contagious, Franco said.
“It’s one of the highlights of the holidays, to be honest,” Franco said. “It’s just beautiful seeing that twinkle in their eyes.”