SLPD brings smiles for Christmas
The 2022 Soap Lake Shop with a Cop event was a success, serving five children and their families.
Rebecca Pettingill/Columbia Basin Herald
SLPD officer Trevor Jones helps a parent pull a large toy off a shelf.
SLPD Officer Justin Rowland watches as a child excitedly puts a toy in the cart.
SLPD Officer Robert Geates helps wrap presents.
SLPD Officer Dakota Blair pulls a stack of items off a shelf to get to the right toy.
SLPD Officer Trevor Jones pushes a cart through Walmart in Ephrata at this year's Soap Lake Shop with a Cop event.
SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Shop with a Cop kicked off right before Christmas on Dec. 23.
“It was good and I look forward to doing it again next year,” said Soap Lake Police Department Chief Ryan Cox.
The Shop with a Cop event was put on by the Soap Lake Police Department through donations made to its benevolent fund and fundraising at its Tip-a-Cop event earlier this month at The Busy Bean. They raised slightly more than $1,200 at this year’s Tip-a-Cop for the Shop With a Cop event.
The group of five children did their shopping at the Ephrata Walmart. The children, their families, and the officers had an hour to pick out the perfect gifts and anything else they needed.
"It's the magic of Christmas in the little kids' eyes," said SLPD Officer Justin Rowland. "When their eyes light up, and they sparkle and you know deep down inside your heart that for that night - taking them shopping, getting them fed, showing them love, goodwill and cheer, and all the words that are used all the old Bing Crosby Christmas songs - that you've made their day."
After shopping was said and done, the group headed back to Soap Lake to the Soap Lake Senior and Community Center for dinner and to wrap gifts.
Dinner was catered by A-Crew BBQ and Catering based out of Moses Lake and featured tacos, beans and rice.
All attendees had a great time mingling, oohing and ahhing over the gifts, enjoying the delicious meal and wrapping the gifts for Christmas morning.
Rowland noted that the event not only makes a difference for the children and families, but for the officers and volunteers as well. He explained that no matter what they may be going through in their personal lives, that during the time they are serving these families, their burdens are lifted, and they are able to forget their worries for a little while.
"We're doing an act of service, but it also fills our hearts and our souls as well being able to do this for others," said Rowland. "So, we get a lot out of it too."
Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.
