By Theresa Armstrong

Reporter

tarmstrong@gcnewsgazette.com

The isles of the local Walmart were filled with Kentucky State Police officers on Tuesday December 21 but they were not there on official police business. The state police officers from Post 4 in Elizabethtown were there on official Santa business as they shopped with needy children in the area.

Every year the S.W.A.T. from Post 4 conduct their annual “Shop With A Trooper” as they help provide children from Grayson, Meade and Breckinridge Counties with a merrier Christmas by taking them on a shopping spree and allowing them to spend $150 any way each child chooses.

This year the number of children who were assisted through the program doubled.

“Last year we shopped with 15 kids but because our donations had increased we were able to help more children this year,” said Post 4 Dispatcher Chuck Stewart. “I think we have about 30 kids here today and we shopped with that many yesterday at the Walmart in Hillview. “

“We look forward to doing this every year,” said Trooper Davy Norris. ”Throughout the year we have fund raisers and raise the money to help these kids and then we enjoy the time we spend allowing the kids to get anything they want.”

The annual event is funded through donations from organizations and individuals and the troopers and staff at Post 4 have several post-wide fund-raisers throughout the year.

“We sent out letters to groups and individual and everyone was very generous,” said Stewart. “We know that a lot of families are having a hard time and this is our way to make sure those kids still have Christmas.”

There are no restrictions on what the children are allowed to buy and money is spent any way the child wants. The troopers are there to assist in the shopping. They do make sure the games and toys are age appropriate to the child who is making the purchase.

“We ask the parents what they children need and that is the first thing on the list,” said Norris. “There are times the kids want to shop for everyone except themselves. They want to buy presents for their mom and dad and that is fine but we do encourage the child to pick out items for himself.”