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Alpena’s Holiday Shop with a Cop event a success

Courtesy Photo Alpena Police Officers and the AHS D.A.R.E. Role Models prepare to shop on Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Alpena Walmart for the 15th Annual APD “Holiday Shop with a Cop” event. Here the officers pose with selected children and Santa himself.

Several local entities gathered at the Alpena Walmart on Saturday morning, Dec. 8, for the 15th Annual Alpena Police Department’s Holiday Shop with a Cop event.

“In our 15th year, this event was extremely fun for all and very successful,” said Officer Tim Marquardt, DARE/AHS liaison officer. “These officers and event partners volunteered their time for this event and it was a very rewarding and humbling experience for us all. We are grateful for being a part of an event that can make Christmas a little more special for some of our area children and families who are in need.”

Children arrived and enjoyed breakfast with officers and DARE role models. Children then paired up with officers and role models to shop and wrap gifts afterwards. Walmart provided each child with a $100 gift card to assist them in purchasing a gift for their siblings and parents.

Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, Northland Area Federal Credit Union, Thunder Bay Area Credit Union, HPC Credit Union and Alpena Community Credit Union provided a $1,200 donation towards the gift card purchase, and Walmart provided the breakfast, gift wrapping supplies and family holiday care packages.

“Children not only shopped for themselves, but mostly they shopped for their siblings and parents,” Marquardt said. “This was wonderful to see during this time of giving. The children were so excited when they arrived; it was surely something to see. Because of the overwhelming positive response to this event, Walmart, area law enforcement and the Department of Health and Human Services will continue to push to have these annual events.”

The following people and departments made this event possible: Mark Bayliss and his fellow management and associates of the Alpena Walmart store, Don Mills, Leann Schultz, representing Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, Pete Dzuris and Matthew Duthler, representing Northland Area Federal Credit Union, Nick Montie, representing Wolverine State Credit Union, Ann Boyk representing Alpena Community Credit Union and Cindy Krentz, representing HPC Credit Union, Brenda Szymanski, Stacy Levitt-Ruby, Mindi Herriman and Jamie Soltysiak of the Department of Health and Human Services (Alpena office) for selecting the 12 participating children and, of course, Santa Claus for making the long trip to attend the event, members of the Alpena Police Department, Alpena County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police and Alpena CRTC Security Forces, as well as the Alpena High School D.A.R.E. Role Models.

“All of the event partners would like to thank those children for making our holidays brighter as well,” Marquardt said.

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