Tag Archive for: #shopwithacop

The Local Skinny! “Shop With A Cop And Friends” A Success This Holiday Season

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Early-morning shoppers in the vicinity of Walmart Tuesday morning may have noticed a large presence of law enforcement officers, but there was nothing amiss – in fact, Police Chief Marcus Barrow said it was a great day for Shop With A Cop And Friends.

There were plenty of uniformed officers on hand from Henderson Police Department, Vance County Sheriff’s Office, State Highway Patrol and other agencies to help children choose some toys, clothing items and more, Barrow told WIZS News Tuesday. One of the PD’s lieutenants shucked his uniform and put on a Grinch costume, he added.

“We shopped for 52 kids and nine elderly adults,” Barrow said. In addition to the generous fundraising efforts of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce that netted about $15000, Barrow said some additional donations brought the grand total to just about $20,000.

City Manager Terrell Blackmon, District Attorney Mike Waters, Henderson Fire Chief Tim Twisdale and Battalion Chief Lee Edmonds were just a few of the local leaders who took part in the event.

Newly elected Henderson City Council member Sam Seifert said he helped a 5-year-old named Donna fill up a couple of carts.

“The toy section was a popular one today,” Seifert told WIZS News Tuesday. “We went there first – we had to dodge others on the aisle,” he said, but everyone was good-spirited about it.

“I pointed out things that she might be interested in,” he said. “We filled up two carts and (got) This was his first experience with Shop With A Cop, but he said he heard others remark that they were impressed with the turnout.

Barrow said it was important to add the two words “And Friends” to the “Shop With A Cop” moniker.
“We’ve always had more kids than the police department and sheriff’s office could handle,” he said. “We’ve always done the law enforcement side, and the fire department came along (over) the last couple of years.” Having representatives from the District Attorney’s office, state parks, Parks and Rec and Animal Services has strengthened the community support for the program.

Barrow recalled a special moment from the morning’s activities: “I talked to one of our brand new officers,” Barrow said. “This is his first experience” with Shop With A Cop. “I actually saw him tearing up a little bit.”

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The Local Skinny! Shop With A Cop Now Underway

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, along with the Henderson Police Department and Vance County Sheriff’s Office, has added a couple of twists to the traditional fundraiser that pairs children in the community with law enforcement officers to go on a holiday shopping spree.

This year’s event has expanded to include first responders, firefighters, animal control and the N.C. State Highway Patrol to be a part of the Shop with a Cop and Friends event close to Christmas.

But the fun leading up to the Dec. 19 shopping event has already started, and this is the time for the community to participate, according to Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson.

“We’re all about putting community and businesses together,” Wilkerson said on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! By including additional agencies, Wilkerson said she, Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow and Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame felt it could be a more inclusive event – “so inclusive that nobody is left out,” she said.

For the next couple of months, the community is invited to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win cash prizes.

But this isn’t an ordinary raffle – it’s called an envelope raffle. “There will be 180 tickets for sale,” Wilkerson explained. “The ticket number is the price you pay for the ticket; however, the ticket number will determine one of four drawings that ticket will be in,” she continued.

Here’s how it works: Say you want to buy ticket #50. You pay $50 for that ticket. BUT, you will be entered in a chance to win cash prizes according to the ticket you purchase. The breakdown is as follows:  Contributors giving between $1 and $40 will be entered to win $200. Contributors in the $41-$80 range are entered for a chance at $500. Those contributing between $81 and $120 will be entered to win $1,000.  And those purchasing tickets 121-180 are entered for a chance for the grand prize of $2,000.

The winners will be announced during a reception on Nov. 14 at Henderson Country Club, Wilkerson said. Anyone who purchases tickets in the 100-180 range get in free; admission for anyone else who would like to attend is $20.

The Nov. 14 reception is a time to celebrate, Wilkerson said. “We just want it to be really fun and (get) geared up for that shopping experience.” The goal is to have at least $5,000 for the children to spend during their shopping trip.

The raffle is a fun way to raise money for the shopping spree, but sponsors also play a role. Wilkerson said sponsors have already donated several thousand dollars.

It’s all for the culminating activity that pairs deserving children with representatives from the various law enforcement and first responder groups, who will go shopping at the Henderson Walmart on Dec. 19.

“We love this fundraiser,” said Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

It’s a great thing to see the excitement of those children’s faces,” Brame told WIZS News Monday. “We’re looking forward to having a great day,” he said, “seeing the smiles on a lot of children’s faces.”

Tickets can be purchased from the Chamber Office, the police department, and the Vance County Sheriff’s office.

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TownTalk: Police Chief Barrow Talks Shop With A Cop

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It may have been cold – it IS December, after all, but there’s a pretty good chance that area law enforcement officers and 47 youngsters in the community felt nice and warm on the inside during the annual “Shop with a Cop” event this week.

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow said individuals representing the police department, sheriff’s office, fire department, highway patrol, animal control and park rangers got to shop with children at Walmart in Henderson.

“We got to see some kids that we interacted with throughout the year,” Barrow said on Thursday’s TownTalk. One child had a special request to shop with an officer who was working a shift, but Barrow said they were able to make some adjustments in the schedule to grant the child’s request.

“He was able to shop with that kid – it was heartwarming,” Barrow said.

In all, the bill came to about $8,000, and that’s after Walmart generously knocked a little bit off the final tally, Barrow said.

In years past, law enforcement agencies have worked in partnership with the local Chamber of Commerce to raise money for the spending spree, but it just didn’t happen this year. Chalk it up to the residual pandemic restrictions and the strain on law enforcement agencies to provide adequate staffing.

“We look forward to partnering with them next year,” Barrow said.

In the meantime, it was important to keep the event alive, so that’s what they did.

It’s a time to let children be children and roam up and down the toy aisles. But it was sobering for Barrow to see some of the older kids get everyday items like hygiene products.

“We want them to think of themselves,” Barrow said. The adults usually steer the kids to clothing items, including coats, during the shopping spree.

But many of the children also wanted to pick out gifts for their parents or other family members, too.

Sometimes, the gift is in the giving, not in the receiving.

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TownTalk: Shop With A Cop Makes Christmas Brighter For Kids In Vance County

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(Shop with a Cop 2021 photos by HPD)

The 2021 Shop with a Cop project proved to be another huge success, and local law enforcement officials said it was good fun for a good cause. Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow said that 58 young people took part in Tuesday’s activities, thanks in large part to the generosity of local businesses and individuals who participated in the fundraising arm of the project sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce.

Chief Barrow reportedly had a run-in with the Grinch, but not even the Grinch could dampen the holiday mood at the Henderson Walmart as the children and law enforcement officers had some quality time together as they shopped the aisles.

“It was a tremendous event,” Barrow said. “We had an absolute blast shopping with the kids. It’s a great but humbling feeling to be able to shop with these kids.”

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame echoed the police chief’s sentiments.

“It’s an awesome program,” Brame told John C. Rose Wednesday by phone. “I look forward to doing it every year.” With the help of Michele Burgess and Sandra Wilkerson at the Chamber, Brame said he and others in law enforcement get the chance to interact in a positive way with  young people in the community .

The police department, sheriff’s office, Chamber, as well as the N.C. Highway Patrol and Maria Parham Health all are united together for a great cause, Brame added.

The community donated $12,000 through the chamber’s fundraising event – and through other donations – to provide the money for the Shop with a Cop project, according to Barrow.

He added that the families are grateful for the event. “It takes a burden off them during economically challenging times,” he said.

For the children, it’s just fun.

“It’s a positive thing to take them out to Walmart and shop with them,” Brame said. “That’s the part we love – it’s a win-win situation.”

(More photos below)

 

 

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Families Can Sign Up Oct 25 – Nov 8 for Kids to Shop With A Cop

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Henderson Police Department Press Release – October 22, 2021

For the 2021 Holiday Season, the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office have partnered with the Vance County Department of Social Services to assist children and families in the City of Henderson and Vance County during the holiday season through the “Shop with a Cop” program.

Funds raised through the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce “Shop with a Cop” raffle and by generous donors will be used to help underprivileged children and struggling families who otherwise would go without during the holidays. Individuals and families selected will have the opportunity to “Shop with a Cop” with one of Henderson’s and Vance County’s law enforcement officers.

Individuals or families wishing to participate in the “Shop with a Cop” program can pick up and return applications from October 25, 2021, to November 8, 2021, at Sadie’s Coffee Corner located at 324 S. Garnett Street.

Please send any donations to the Henderson Police Department make checks payable to the City of Henderson.

Completing a referral does not guarantee assistance.

Youngsville, NC

Youngsville Christmas Parade Press Generates $11K for Needy Children

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release, Town of Youngsville

At the end of a year that found too many Americans isolated and dejected due to a wide variety of challenges, the annual Christmas parade in Youngsville, North Carolina helped encourage warm-hearted people from across the nation to respond in the most Christmas-like of ways.

At the conclusion of a hectic week leading up to the town’s Christmas parade, Mayor Fonzie Flowers appeared live on the nationally broadcast ‘Fox and Friends’ television show just two hours before the parade began. After reiterating the town’s careful guidance and precautions to facilitate a safe parade, Mayor Flowers then asked viewers to consider donating to the town’s Shop with a Cop program.

In the 24 hours that followed the mayor’s appearance on national TV, the town received more than $11,000 in donations from at least 500 individual donors – over ten times what the program brought in last year.

This outpouring of support was no surprise to town leaders since the response to the decision to move forward with the Youngsville parade was overwhelmingly positive. In a video published via the town’s YouTube channel, Mayor Fonzie Flowers said, “a tally of the responses to the town’s social media communications regarding our parade has yielded a total of 1,001 positive responses and only 30 negative responses. In other words, more than 97% of community members support the town’s decision. Rest assured that – at least in Youngsville – the will of the people will always be heard.”

Youngsville Chief of Police J. G. Whitley proclaimed, “We never expected this type of response. All I can say is there will be a lot of very happy children this year in Youngsville. All these donations will bring immeasurable joy into the homes of some Youngsville families that are most in need. We cannot thank our community and these generous donors enough.”

The Shop with a Cop event will begin at the town’s community building (115 E. Main Street) at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15, 2020. Residents can donate by clicking on the pop-up notification on the town’s website (townofyoungsville.org) or by visiting tinyurl.com/donate-shop-cop.

Local News Audio

Local News Audio 9-16-20 Noon: Schools Plan B; Flash Flooding

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– Flash Flood Watch
– Granville County Schools Plan B Coming
– Vance County Schools
– Shop With A Cop

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Shop With A Cop

Town Talk 09/15/20: 5th Annual ‘Shop With A Cop’ Fundraiser Kicks Off Next Week!

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow, Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Michele Burgess and Chamber Events Coordinator Sandra Wilkerson appeared on WIZS’ Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

The community leaders discussed the 5th Annual “Shop With a Cop” fundraiser and event, a collaboration of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office. The presenting sponsor is Maria Parham Health, with Toyota of Henderson serving as gold sponsor and Union Bank serving as silver sponsor.

Following the format of previous years, Wilkerson explained that 180 envelopes marked with dollar amounts from $1 to $180 are sold to participating businesses, organizations and community members. When all envelopes are sold, local law enforcement will receive $5,000 to take a group of Vance County’s disadvantaged youth Christmas shopping at Walmart.

The H-V Chamber also benefits from the fundraiser’s proceeds by using the remaining funds to initiate new programs and enhance value to Chamber member businesses, said Burgess.

Barrow said the bond formed between the children and law enforcement officers extends beyond the shopping day itself. “It forms some lasting relationships; the kids remember us and we remember them. It gives us the opportunity to get to know some of the parents. It also helps bridge some of the gaps we see.”

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame was unavailable for the Town Talk segment but did indicate in a separate written statement to WIZS that he is “honored to participate in such a worthy cause.”

While all law enforcement officers enjoy the experience each year, Barrow said no one has a better time than the sheriff. “I think Curtis gets more excited than anybody else – sometimes more than the kids. The sheriff was the life of the party last year. If you don’t know him, you should, but I think almost everyone in Vance County does know him.”

In addition to bringing joy to local children, contributors will have their name entered into a drawing for cash prizes. Those donating $1-$40 will be entered to win $200; $41-$80 will be entered to win $500; $81-$120 will be entered to win $1,000. Those contributing $121-$180 will be eligible for the grand prize of $2,000.

MPH CEO Bert Beard told WIZS that the hospital serves as the presenting sponsor of the annual fundraiser in support of the community’s overall health. “At Maria Parham Health, we recognize our mission of making communities healthier extends beyond providing care at our hospital and clinic sites. This ideal is no more evident than in our partnership with law enforcement and the Chamber to benefit our youth through Shop with a Cop.”

The kick-off for this year’s event will be held on Tuesday, September 22 at 10 a.m. in the Maria Parham Health Rehab Center Board Room. After the official kick-off, tickets will be available for purchase through October 27. With questions or to purchase tickets, please stop by the H-V Chamber office located at 414 S. Garnett St. in downtown Henderson or call (252) 438-8414.

“It’s a simple fundraiser, but the benefits are massive,” said Burgess. “The end result is incredible when you see the kids and know that they are going to have a wonderful holiday season.”

Next week, WIZS will talk to additional “Shop With A Cop” participants on Town Talk including representatives from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Vance County Department of Social Services, Vance County Animal Services and the Vance-Granville Community College Police Department.

To hear the interview in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Shop With A Cop

Town Talk 11/13/19: Contributions Needed for Shop With A Cop Envelope Raffle

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Shop With A Cop Envelope Raffle 

Sponsored by the Henderson Police Department, Vance County Sheriff’s Office and Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce.

Thank you for your assistance with this fundraiser to benefit “Shop With A Cop.” When all the envelopes $1 – $180 are sold, collected, and returned back to the Chamber office, our local law enforcement will receive $5,000 to take Vance County disadvantaged youth Christmas shopping at Walmart.

Our Chamber will also be benefiting from the proceeds and using our funds to initiate new programs and enhance value to our Chamber member businesses. 

Law enforcement will select 60 of the envelopes and the Chamber will have the remaining 120. Envelopes are numbered $1 – $180 and include a raffle ticket. When you approach someone you know, friend, co-worker, or neighbor, you are going to get a check (made payable to the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce) for the amount on the front of the envelope. They may also contribute cash.

The contributor will fill out the raffle ticket. They keep the stub and you return the completed raffle ticket portion with their name and phone number in the envelope to the Chamber office. Remind your contributors that their name will be entered into a raffle drawing for cash prizes. 

The contributors giving $1 – $40 will be entered to win $200. When they give $41 – $80, they will be entered to win $500. Those contributing $81 – $120 will be entered to win $1,000. And our grand prize of $2,000 will be for those contributing $121 – $180.

To hear the Shop With A Cop interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Tickets on Sale Now for Reverse Raffle to Benefit ‘Shop With a Cop’ and H-V Chamber

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-Information and flyer courtesy Sandra Wilkerson, Director of Admin and Events, Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

Maria Parham Health presents a Reverse Raffle with Silent Auction and Dance on Saturday, November 10, 2018, from 5:30 to 11 p.m. at the Henderson Country Club. Semi-formal attire is suggested.

Tickets are $125 and include dinner for two, dancing and a chance for a $5,000 grand prize.

Various silent auctions will be held including two reserved tickets. Raffle tickets will be sold for three reserved tickets.

Money raised benefits the local Shop With a Cop program and the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce’s efforts to help local businesses.

The event is brought to you by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, Henderson Police Department and the Vance County Sheriff’s Department.

Please call the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at (252) 438-8414 for more information or to purchase tickets.

(This is not a paid advertisement)