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Coming full circle

‘Shop With a Cop’ brings Christmas cheer to local kids in need

T-R PHOTO BY SARA JORDAN-HEINTZ The Gohring sisters were invited to participate in the Shop With a Cop program after MPD Officer Dane Bowermaster (pictured) responded to a burglary at their home on Black Friday. All of the family’s electronics and Christmas presents were stolen. However, the sisters each got to shop with a cop to replace some of their gifts. Left to right: Charlee, 4, Morgan, 6, and Myla, 5.

The holidays can be a tough time for families struggling to make ends meet. It can result in youngsters not finding many or any gifts under the Christmas tree. The Marshalltown Police Department’s annual Shop With a Cop Christmas night tries to remedy that situation.

Members of the MPD and other area police departments take a group of children shopping at Walmart for Christmas gifts every December, then back to school supplies each August. But for one Marshalltown family shopping at Tuesday night’s Shop With a Cop, the gesture was all the more heartfelt.

“I went shopping on Black Friday and got the girls’ gifts bought and wrapped. I work in Des Moines and got home at Midnight that night and my house had been burglarized,” said Trista Gohring. “I’m a single mom that picks up extra shifts, so to come home and find everything gone — all of our electronics and the gifts — really broke my heart.”

The policeman who arrived at the scene, Officer Dane Bowermaster, found the situation especially sad in light of Christmas being mere weeks away. A few days after the incident, he got in touch with Gohring and told her about the MPD’s Shop With a Cop program and helped get the family signed up.

“It’s for families in need and what’s a greater need than having your Christmas gifts stolen?” Bowermaster said.

Gohring’s three daughters, Morgan, 6, Myla, 5, and Charlee, 4, were each assigned an officer to go shopping with, loading gifts in their carts — also picking out items for their mom.

“When this happened, my oldest daughter Morgan told me presents weren’t an important part of Christmas,” Gohring said. “She helped me clean the place up because it was trashed. I’ve had a lot of support from friends, too.”

A total of 21 officers from the MPD, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, State Center Police Department and Iowa State Patrol were on hand to take a total of 32 children shopping in two shifts Tuesday night at Walmart.

“The children get referred to us by schools and local agencies like CAPS who select them as needing some extra help this time of year,” said FOP President, Officer Casee Veren, who coordinates the shopping events.

Children ran up and down aisles throwing games, dolls and other toys into their shopping carts as the officers escorted them throughout the store. Each child had to make sure to stay within the allotted budget. Afterwards, officers assisted the kids with the check-out process.

“I’m just grateful and blessed. I didn’t expect any of this,” Gohring said.

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