The State Center Police Department led a “24 miles, 24 hours” walk around the city to raise money for the Shop with a Cop program last Saturday, and various community members joined in despite the rain, snow and cold temperatures. The event raised over $6,000 in total, surpassing the $4,500 goal.

“Thank you isn’t enough and we want to thank everyone who made our 24-hours as much fun as it could be. We enjoyed visiting with neighbors, having lunch and dinner provided was amazing and we certainly made some new friends along the way. Donations will still be accepted for a few more days as we begin to select families for this year’s Shop with a Cop event,” Police Chief Jon Thomas wrote in a Facebook post. “While the police department gets the credit for this event, we are simply the hands of the community lifting up families and kids who could use a little help during the holidays. Please know the difference your generosity makes in the lives of these families. We have elected to not share photos from the shopping event on our Facebook page to avoid any awkwardness or embarrassment for the families participating in the event.”