Early one Saturday morning in December, Rotarians and Tulsa Police Officers met t a Wal-Mart with a single goal in mind … to make 40 kids dreams come true at Christmas. 

The annual event called, “Shop with a Cop,” paired police officers and kids from Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Celia Clinton Grade School to shop for their families while secretly, the Rotarian shopped for the child.


After the shopping was completed, student volunteers from the University of Tulsa help to wrap all of the gifts.  By the time lunch was over, 40 smiling kids dragging huge shopping bags full of goodies for Christmas were greeted by their eager mothers.

Chairman of the event, Rotarian Becky Goumaz said, “It is our hope that meeting an officer and having a positive experience can help these young people create a bond and trust with police officers in order to seek future help.”

Photos (from top to bottom):
1) A family of brothers and sisters pose with their “cop” after shopping for other members of the family.  Their “cop” is none other than Jennifer Mansell, Rotary Club of Tulsa’s 2007 Police Officer of the Year.
2) Happy police officers wait in line to be matched with their kids.
3) Rotarian John Hansen and a student ham it up for the camera.

Submitted Saturday, December 27, 2008