FOP seeking donations for Christmas with a Cop
DOVER (WJER) (Nov. 18, 2022) – Members of the local FOP chapter will again be delivering Christmas gifts to area children in a caravan of police cruisers.
Tuscora Lodge President Bob Everett says this will be the 13th year for their Christmas with a Cop program where officers get to play Santa to kids whose teachers nominate them for the program on one day each December.
“And we’re so thankful to our local sheriff, the chiefs of police in the different communities who allow the cars to be taken on this little excursion. It is a wonderful thing. It finally flips a very positive twist to law enforcement, and it’s good for us, it’s good for the children, the families, and our entire community.”
Everett doesn’t know if any past recipients have gone on to careers in law enforcement but says one is a published author who donated copies of his book for last year’s distribution.
“And it’s a small paperback, but it’s the idea, the thought that he wanted to give back because at one point he was a recipient, and it was such a great feeling to have him show up at our wrapping that night and give us all those books and put them in each bag. I wish I knew how many children we’ve helped over the years, but I know it’s probably in the hundreds and possibly a thousand by now.”
The FOP is seeking donations to help pay for the program which provides gifts for every child in the participant’s household and a grocery store gift card for their family.
“In the past, we’ve been up close to $6,000. Some years of course it was less but with the prices of everything now, I’m going to guess this year it’ll be in the neighborhood of $6,500 to $7,000.”
Contributions can be mailed to the Tuscora Lodge at PO Box 2 in Dover or dropped off at any law enforcement agency in the county. Everett says FOP members will deliver the gifts on December 17th.