CONTRIBUTED PHOTO The Rotary Club of Marshalltown helps cap off the ‘Shop with a Cop’ program’s annual fundraising by delivering a donation at the American Legion Post 46.

Marshalltown law enforcement pulled off a successful ‘Shop with a Cop’ program, delivering presents for 70 local children.

The police had to do things a little different from years past. Usually the children, which are recommended by the schools or various organizations, are able to go to Walmart with the officers to spend $100 on gifts. This year the children sent the department a wish list which officers used to guide them through the aisles of the store.

Officer Andrew Cole said it was a huge team effort which involved multiple departments and volunteers including Marshalltown police, SWAT and community members.

“It was kind of an operation. Eight officers shopped, a couple officers picked up bags from our little ‘elf’ shop at the legion to wrap and label them,” he said. “It worked out pretty well for us, all things considered.”

The community showed its giving spirit again this year, donating more than $20,000 to the program. With the overwhelmingly positive show of support, Cole said the Fraternal Order of Police are assured to continue delivering impactful programs for local youth.

“Money just seemed to keep coming. We are able to sustain our program now and start reallocating some of those funds we’d otherwise be diverting into ‘Shop with a Cop’ and put them into other activities we like to support,” he said. “Our goal is for the children of Marshalltown to have a positive childhood.”

The pandemic didn’t slow ‘Shop with a Cop’ down, but it may have had an effect on some of the children’s wish lists. Cole said board games, crafts and family activities were more popular this year than any other year he can remember in his 12 years with the program.

“Honestly, I do not remember board games being popular items. I’ve never seen as many people ask for board games and crafts,” he said. “It’s funny to see maybe during quarantine families have come together more to spend more time doing things I used to do. One of the popular things when I was a kid was to sit around and play a board game together.”

A couple of the board games that were popular this year were Battleship and Guess Who. Other popular gifts included Roblox, LOL dolls, Nerf guns and video games.

The children weren’t just asking for gifts for themselves either. Many asked for gifts to give to siblings who weren’t referred to the program and other family members.

“One girl was going to have her step brother visiting for Christmas so she asked for Duplo Blocks so he had a toy to open,” Cole said. “Another wanted sweatshirts for their grandfather and mom. It really pulls at the heart strings and makes you feel good that these kids are thinking about the others around them.”

Since the children couldn’t take part in the shopping there was more interaction with the parents than in years past, which also led to some touching moments.

“One of the last ones I delivered (Tuesday) night, the mother came out, she was in tears,” Cole said. “You could see this was something that was worrying. She’s worried Christmas would come and she wouldn’t have anything for her son.”

Even before Christmas Day, Cole was already seeing ‘Thank yous’ pour in from children grateful to be reached during the holidays.

“This is one of the first years I can remember — I’ve already received handwritten ‘Thank you’ letters and several emails from parents making sure their child’s gratitude was given,” he said. “The time put in was amazing. Shopping, wrapping, delivering — hundreds of hours were involved in all of that.”

“I want to thank the community of Marshalltown for allowing me the opportunity and allowing the police department the opportunity to continue this event,” he added. “Without having the support of our community and the dollars this program doesn’t exist. We are merely just a middle man. It kind of instills that there is still humanity out there. Our community really steps up to the plate.”

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Contact Joe Fisher at 641-753-6611 or jfisher@timesrepublican.com