Helping others

CELINA - More than 20 children got to shop with local law enforcement officers Saturday for items on their Christmas lists.

Celina police officers coordinated the third annual Shop With a Cop event to give 22 less fortunate children and their family members a shopping spree at Walmart.

"It's a good feeling to be part of the magic, said Sgt. Megan Baker, a detective with the Mercer County Sheriff's Office.

The families selected by CALL Ministries gathered at the store entrance to be paired with representatives from Celina, Coldwater, Fort Recovery and St. Henry police departments and the Mercer County Sheriff's Office.

Once inside, the shoppers fanned out all over the store. A Celina father and mother of two children walking in the shoe aisle said the experience teaches their kids a good life lesson.

"It reminds them that there are good people in the world," the mother said.

Their son said he wanted clothes, a BB gun and Hot Wheels cars. Their daughter said she wanted Barbie dolls and crafts to complete with her mom.

Each child got to spend $100 that came from donations from R.J. Corman Railroad, Midwest Ohio Association of Realtors and the Grand Lake Law Enforcement Association, said Celina Police Chief Tom Wale.

Officers look forward to the experience, Wale said.

"We get the enjoyment of shopping with them and we get the enjoyment of knowing they get to see the softer side of law enforcement. It touches my heart," he said. "In law enforcement we see a lot of the issues with poverty and people don't see how much poverty there is out there."