Local Cops are Reaching Out to Forsyth County Kids

Local deputies and police officers are getting together for the annual "FOP Cops and Kids©" shopping event Wednesday evening.

The event, hosted by the Sgt. D.P. Land Memorial Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 82 , will begin at 6 p.m. at located at 1500 Market Place Boulevard in Cumming.

This year the FOP is sponsoring 59 needy children in Forsyth County and is looking for about 40 officers to show up in uniform or in "police" attire to help the children shop for holiday gifts. Each sponsored child between the ages of 3 and 14 will receive $125 to spend during the shopping.

"It's one officer per family," said Sgt. Chris Shelton of the  and FOP President. "So if they have a family of one or a family of three, that officer will take all three of the children shopping and they can pick out anything inside Walmart that they wish."

The children will also be treated to snacks.

"Walmart is very gracious to us," Shelton said. "They gave us $1,000 towards our Cops and Kids program. They give us 10 percent off at the register and no tax because we are a non-profit organization. And then they set aside two registers in their gardening center just for us."

Shelton also told Cumming Patch that the event is part of the FOP's give back program.

"A lot of times children in underprivileged homes are less fortunate, and many times the children have had bad dealings with law enforcement," he said. "So this event is our way of getting with the children, letting them know that we are OK, and that we're here to do the right thing and be good with them."

So far law enforcement personnel from the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office,  , state probation officers and Dawson County Sheriff's Office employees have committed to take the children shopping.

There is still time to get involved. Contact Sgt. Shelton at 678-859-3557 or send him an e-mail to participate.

The FOP is also accepting donations. For every $125 donated, another child can be sponsored.

Shelton said the names of the children are provided to the FOP through local churches, the , social workers within the Forsyth County school system and .