Several children in the community are able to add a few gifts under their Christmas trees thanks to the third annual "Shop With a Cop" event.
On Saturday morning, about 50 kids between the ages of five and 12 years old were paired up with an officer to go out and buy gifts.
"They go shopping at Walmart with a $100 gift card and Walmart employees have covered the taxes so the kids are able to spend the full $100," says Constable Jay Denorer with Chatham-Kent OPP. "The only stipulation is they buy one present for themselves, but they have to open it on Christmas day."
Denorer says the children were able to buy gifts for anyone on their Christmas list, which made 10-year-old Mackenzie St. Pierre very happy.
St. Pierre bought gifts not only for herself but for her mother, brother, and grandparents. She says it's nice to buy presents, adding that she usually makes her own gifts.
"I make stuff because I love creating things," says St. Pierre.
Also shopping for others was 9-year-old JJ Morrison, who bought a few toys for his nephews.
"It's pretty exciting because you get new toys and you get to spend a lot of money on new stuff," says Morrison.
After shopping, the kids headed to the John D. Bradley Convention Centre to wrap their gifts and have some more fun.
"We [had] a bouncy castle set up, a bunch of different activity tables, we're going to have Santa Claus come out at 11 o'clock, we have face painters, and we're going to serve the kids breakfast," says Denorer.
Outside the Convention Centre, kids were able to enjoy a horse wagon ride.
Denorer says "Shop With a Cop" has come a long way since it first started.
"We have different groups coming out, supporting us," he says. "It's gained such momentum that next year we hope to have it bigger and better."
Kids taking part in the Shop with a Cop event are now arriving at the Bradley Centre. #ck pic.twitter.com/MyzzSX53HP
— Natalia Vega (@Natalia94V) December 17, 2016
