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NEW CUMBERLAND -- For those involved with Hancock County's Shop With A Cop, the program is a labor of love.
The program entered its 36th year of operation, after being founded by sergeants Tom Tompos and Cliff Bebout in 1987. Deputy First Class Patrick Hoder shares the co-chairperson position on behalf of the department along with civilians April Haught and Dawn McElfresh.
The ladies perform the bulk of the behind-the-scenes grant work soliciting for donations, handling accounting and applications as well as following up with the telephone calls and potential sponsors.
The non-profit organization primarily is funded by the community throughout the year before providing gifts for serving children, age birth to 17, at Christmas.
This year, 33 applications for a total of 62 youth were received, according to Haught.
("To date, Shop With a Cop has) helped families provide gifts for more than 10,000 children to ensure they have gifts under their trees on Christmas morning," explained Haught, who has been involved with the program 24 years. "Ninety-nine percent of the donations funds the program."
While applications have closed out for the 2023 Shop With A Cop class, the shopping is yet to come. Qualified families (or the child) attend a set shopping day at Weirton Walmart based on the total donations for that year and the child's age.
In addition to donations, the Shop With a Cop team does several fundraisers through the years, including a dunk tank at the Chester Fourth of July; sends out around 300 donation letters annually; sells T-shirts; and has a presence at Chester's Hometown Christmas event.
Haught said residents still can help the cause in 2023. The shopping day will be around a week before Christmas, so checks can be mailed to Shop With A Cop, P.O. Box 210, New Cumberland, WV 2604 and still make a difference.
HOW TO APPLY IN 2024?
Criteria
• Must be a resident of Hancock County
• Provide proof of residency (i.e.utility bill or either a W.Va. driver's license or state ID card) and proof of income
• Provide proof that the child in question is being educated in Hancock County, either providing a report card or progress report in addition to a birth certificate.
Paperwork must be accompanied by the application form, which is available for download on the official Hancock County Shop With A Cop Facebook page and must be returned to the Sheriff's Office, 102 N. Court St., on the nights designated on the Facebook page when the application window opens.
A list of locations to pick up printed physical copies also will be noted.