by Curtis D. Tucker
Posted: 12/14/14 | Updated: 12/19/15
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Emergency vehicles converge on our local K-Mart each year around this time. First responders from the police and fire stations, Life EMS, the Sheriffs department, and OK State Troopers all spring into action and enter the store. If you were driving by you'd think there was a big arrest going on or the store had caught on fire.
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Inside you'd find lots of kids, families, shopping carts, toys, and plenty of big smiles. First Responders Christmas For Kids has been taking place for many years but was formerly known as "Shop With A Cop."
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The group had to change the name of the event due to trademark concerns with the national organization. Enid's first responders decided to break away from the national, police centered, organization to include other local first responders.
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The organizers go out into the community and ask churches and organizations for the names of those families that could really benefit from the program each year. If you know of deserving families each year please contact Dustin Albright with the police department or Ken Helms with the fire department. They hope to get started for next years holiday in September.
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Around thirty children are invited to go shopping with a first responder. They are each awarded $100 to buy toys, clothes or other items that they would like to purchase for themselves or for members of their families.
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A surprising number of kids spend more of their allotment on others rather than themselves. First responders are given the task of helping a child find their items and keeping track of how much is spent.
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K-mart gives a special discount on all purchases to alleviate the taxes and also make the dollars go further. There are plenty of cashiers at all registers to help get people through the check out process quickly.
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The parents take their children to Enid Assembly Church at Oakwood and Chestnut where they have a bus available to transport everyone to K-Mart to shop with a responder. When the shopping is done, the kids are taken back to the church where volunteers are available to help the kids wrap their gifts.
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Volunteers like Becky Kroeker and her daughters are on hand to help wrap gifts, share in cookies and get photos taken. Enid's first responders look forward to continuing the program with the help of the unions and businesses. Gift wrap is donated by K-Mart.
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You can make a donation by dropping off a check at the Enid Police or Enid Fire Department offices. Make the check out to Enid FOP and write "FRCK" or "kids Christmas" in the memo.
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Photos and video below are from 2014.
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