Some 50 kids in Columbia County went on a Christmas shopping spree Friday morning with the help of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
This is the 22nd year the CCSO held its annual Day With a Deputy event. Starting at about 9 a.m., some 70 law enforcement officers—including some from the Georgia State Patrol—met with the kids and their families at the Walmart in Evans. After having free breakfast biscuits and getting pictures with Santa, the children are allocated $325 tax-free with which to shop around the store.
“Let’s face it, some of these kids may not have a Christmas other than this, this year,” said Sgt. Daniel Massey, who has organized Day With a Deputy for 16 years, and has participated in it for 20. “It does my heart good just to know that we’re helping these kids, and putting smiles on these kids’ faces,”
Massey coordinated with local businesses to help sponsor the event, with Bojangles providing the breakfast and Walmart hosting it, while the Columbia County Foundation for Children, liaising with school counselors, selects children in the area for the program.
The young shoppers are encouraged to spend $100 of their allotted funds on necessities before finding toys and games to fill their stockings and put under their trees.
CCSO Officer Ray Childress said that “this is what real policing is all about,” emphasizing the engagement with community. Likewise Officer Roderick Freeman noted that the yearly event helps remove stigma from law enforcement.
Massey echoes this, noting one goal of Day With a Deputy is to encourage the kids to bond with officers.
“You know, a lot of times when the kids think of officers, they think of them always in a negative light. Somebody’s being bad, somebody’s going to jail,” he said. “So this here is a way where we can rebound with them, let the kids know that we’re their friends and they don’t have to be scared.”
Skyler Andrews is a reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
