MANSFIELD – A favorite event for both local police and families has returned for its 21st year.
On Sunday, the Fraternal Order of Police William J. Taylor Lodge #32 conducted its annual Cops & Kids event at Walmart on Possum Run Road. More than 100 children and around 65 lodge volunteers combed the store’s clothing section to purchase items for the upcoming school year.
Lodge president and Ret. Sgt. Mike Bammann said this is a popular event within the FOP because it’s all about the kids.
“I always figured when I was working that in law enforcement, a lot of our responsibility is to take care of and protect those who can’t themselves,” Bammann said. “It’s all about giving back to the community, and we just love to see the smiles.”
Funding for Cops & Kids comes from monies raised during a five-week fundraising program organized by the FOP. Each child is given a voucher ranging from $100 to $150 to be used as cash, and given the freedom to shop and pick out their own clothing accompanied by a lodge volunteer.
“We’ve got maybe half a dozen first-time volunteers and they were astounded, nicely so,” Bammann said.
Cops & Kids also partners with the Richland County Children’s Auxiliary, which runs The New Store in Mansfield and will also receive monetary donations from the Cops & Kids fundraiser. The Auxiliary and the Richland County Kinship program provide the names of the children who come to shop.
At the end of the day, Bammann hopes the kids in the program leave with a new wardrobe as well as a new friend in law enforcement.
“We want them to come to us if they need help,” he said. “It brings us closer to the community, and it gets the community seeing that we’re humans, too, and we care.”
