COPS AND SHOPPERS
‘Helpers and Heroes’ pairs police with children for Christmas
WEST POTTSGROVE >> There’s nothing like being a kid at Christmas, especially when you have an entire store to pick out presents.
At 9 a.m. on Saturday, kids and cops dashed to the toy section of Target in Upland Square Shopping Center as the 6th annual Helpers and Heroes program kicked off. The program is aimed at giving children the chance to spend a morning with local police officers as they shop together for the perfect Christmas gifts.
The program began after West Pottsgrove Officer Robert Radswillas came to West Pottsgrove Police Chief Matthew Stofflet and told him that the event was possible through grants that were available for Helpers and Heroes. Radswillas then took over planning the event and, through the grants, police were able to obtain Target gift cards for children to use for shopping.
This year’s event allowed 31 children with 19 police officers to use $100 Target gift cards to purchase gifts for the holidays for themselves and their families. Officers accompanied children through the aisles to keep track of spending and help them decide on some of the best presents— a job they say they are more than happy to take on.
“I just love the kids’ faces,” said Radswillas. “I was just talking to a parent about the kids going shopping and not being told ‘no.’ They pick up anything that they want within reason up to the maximum. I like that because I don’t think anybody really has that opportunity.”
Participating departments included West Pottsgrove, West Pikeland, Douglass (Mont.) Township, Lower Pottsgrove, Upper Pottsgrove, West Vincent and North Coventry.