Boone Co. deputies lend a helping hand to kids in need this Christmas

Boone County deputies have been planning an enjoyable morning for kids in need. The children will be able to pick out winter gear and other clothing that they would otherwise go without.

"In years past I didn't have to ask for help, and it's hard to ask for help sometimes, and I feel bad asking," said parent Sara Shuck.

Not asking would mean Shuck's 8-year-old son Wyatt would go without some of the necessities this winter. It is not a position she said she ever thought she would find herself in.

"This house is going into foreclosure so we'll have to move. It's just been a struggle," Shuck said.

Luckily, with a few clicks of a mouse, she found Boone County's Christmas with a Cop program. The actual event will be held Saturday at a Lebanon Walmart.

"We saw a lot more first time participants in the program, a lot more," said Boone County Deputy Craig Fouts, who has helped organized the program.

Parents, with their kids in tow, will be given a budget at Walmart and a list of possible purchases that includes socks, boots, winter jackets and more.

Donations have been coming in to the Boone County Fraternal Order of Police that had set the goal at $55,000.

While the latest figures are closer to $50,000, Deputy Fouts said it will be enough to outfit the nearly 600 kids that signed up to be a part of the program.

"We go down to the last second and divide it right there at Walmart, and say, this is how much each child will receive," Fouts said.

"It really is what Christmas is about. This is the true Christmas spirit that they're showing, and I hope one day we'll be able to give that back, and we really appreciate it," said Shuck.

The event will be held from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday morning.

To give to these families in need you can send a check to the Boone County Fraternal Order of Police. Donations that come in late will be used next year.

Boone County Christmas with a Cop
P.O. Box 432
Lebanon, IN 46052