The Crookston Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Department, and local first responders held their 13th annual “Shop With a Hometown Hero” event on Tuesday, December 12, at the Crookston Walmart.
We have pictures from the event and the original story about the event below.
“Shop With a Hometown Hero” is a program that runs through Walmart every year, where the organization gives grant funding to children who are less fortunate to go on shopping sprees before Christmas. “This is a county-wide project; this isn’t just for Crookston,” said Crookston Police Officer Don Rasicot, “We look for underprivileged children; we look for children who may not have the ability to have a happy Christmas or have the ability to go shopping over the holidays.” Rasicot also explained that this is an excellent experience for children because they can meet a police officer, an EMS worker, Firefighter, or a National Guardsman.
Entities contributing to this project include The Crookston Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and Polk County Social Services. They select 33 children who are best fit for a $75 gift card they will spend during the shopping spree with a Hometown hero.
“We’re going to start shopping at 4:30 p.m., and this is for kids that are on the list; they must be on the list,” said Rasicot, “We will give them a $75 gift card and assign them to a first responder. From there, they can shop for anything they want, and then they will check out at a register set up specifically for them.”
When the children have finished shopping, they will have the option to be assisted with wrapping presents. At 5:30 p.m., the officers will meet in the Garden Center with Walmart associates and wrap gifts. Walmart will supply all of the wrapping paper and bows.
Rasicot explained that this event benefits not only the children selected to participate but also law enforcement officers and first responders. “I can tell you this creates a lot of smiles on faces, and for our policeman (I can speak on their behalf), it brings them great joy,” said Rasicot, “Nobody gets paid; this is strictly volunteer work, but everybody that comes and does this, it brings them great joy to their heart. Any time you can make a child smile at Christmas time, I think it’s well worth it.”
