Shopping with a cop brings Christmas joy

More than four dozen children were full of smiles Thursday afternoon after taking a police escort to the Wal-Mart on Whittlesey Boulevard.

Police Maj. J.D. Hawk, head of the Bureau of Patrol Services, said about 50 children and 70 officers took park in the annual event sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police. The organization raised more than $5,000 to make Christmas brighter for low-income children in the Chattahoochee Valley.

This year, officers teamed up with children from the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus.

On her day off, Capt. Renee McAneny said it's been a blessing for her to shop with a child.

"It makes you understand that there is more to life than buying presents," McAneny said as she looked over family movies with Frankie Ashmore, a third-grader. "It makes you feel blessed."

Frankie couldn't help but think about his younger sister, Lilly, while shopping with the patrol captain. His sister is in the pediatric intensive care unit where she is being treated for a collapsed lung and pneumonia.

Lilly was doing much better than before, he said. He's happy the officers took him and others shopping.

"I like celebrating," he said. "They do a good job."

Shopping with Camden McMillan gave officer J.A. Mann an opportunity to give back to the community, he said.

"A lot of people see us in a negative light," Mann said. "It feels good to cast a positive light for the community."

With $100 for each child, Mann helped 11-year-old Camden with selecting jewelry for his mother and some video games for himself.

"I always take a little to put with it," Mann said of adding to the gifts. "It's real good to do this."

McAneny was surprised by a stranger while shopping.

A woman walked up and pressed a $20 bill in her hand to contribute to the shopping fund. Choking back tears, the woman said her son would have been about the age of the boy who was with McAneny.

Hawk said the acts of kindness happen quite often during the annual event.

"They will just walk up or on their way at the register they will give it to one of the officers to add to the fund," he said. "Then, we have people who know it's coming and they will give money to add to it."

Lt. Tammy Foster of the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office said she has been going on the shopping spree since 2000.

"I try to do it every year," Foster said. "I love the kids and I enjoy doing it."

Foster said the children enjoyed the lights and siren during their trip to Wal-Mart. At 4:30 p.m., children jumped into cruises and other vehicles as their sirens and lights flashed while the convoy traveled north on Fourth Avenue.

Other departments taking part in the event included the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the Phenix City Police Department and the Muscogee County Prison.

This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 10:46 PM with the headline "Shopping with a cop brings Christmas joy ."