Darrell Todd Maurina
Posted: Friday, November 21, 2008 6:40 pm

Sgt. Tony Claar wants area residents to buy Shop with a Cop T-shirts for $10 to help pay for Christmas gifts for needy children.

PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Nov. 21, 2008) — Local police, fire, ambulance, and other rescue agencies are inviting area children to turn out Saturday morning for an Emergency Services Day at Wal-Mart.

The event will include sales of T-shirts for the Shop with a Cop program in which area emergency services personnel accompany needy children for a $100 shopping trip to Wal-Mart for Christmas gifts. Cpl. Christine Bogart of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, who was selling T-shirts on Friday outside Wal-Mart and will do so again Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., said children will have the opportunity to see emergency vehicles up close and even inside.

“We’re going to be having all the fire trucks, ambulances, police cars, as many as we can get,” Bogart said. “It’s a lot of fun; kids get to play with the sirens. We show we’re not mean people so they’re not afraid of us.”

Sgt. Tony Claar of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department said T-shirt sales are going well. Each T-shirt costs $10, and Claar said sales were brisk for the shirts which feature a cartoon figure of a police officer shopping with a child.

“They’re on track to do even better than they did last year; just in the few hours we’ve been here today we’ve already sold 15 to 20 shirts,” Claar said. “A lot of people are already familiar with Shop with a Cop and it doesn’t take much encouragement for them and they know all the money goes to help the children.”

Bogart, a Massachusetts native, said Friday that she didn’t mind selling shirts in near-freezing weather.

“It’s cold but it’s for a good cause and I don’t mind it at all,” Bogart said. “It’s enjoyable and I agreed when I was asked. As long as the kids have a good Christmas, I’m all for it.”

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