MANSFIELD — Mike Bammann has been helping local children get new school clothes for three decades.
The retired Mansfield police sergeant was back in place Sunday morning as the Fraternal Order of Police William J. Taylor Lodge #32 hosted its 30th annual clothing shopping spree for children on Sunday morning at Walmart on Possum Run Road.
Bammann, the FOP lodge president for 35 years, has been with the program since its inception. He retired from the MPD in 2008, but continues to lead the local FOP.
Why does he and the FOP continue the effort that will see about 150 children get new clothes as the new school year begins?
“I think everybody realizes, right down to the patrolman level, everybody realizes that the only way you’re going to change things is to help the children … to help the kids out when they are in need,” Bammann said.
“Even in my generation (of law enforcement officer), kids were the soft spot in our hearts. We take a bad rap for a lot of things, but everybody understands how important it is to make sure the kids are taken care of,” Bammann said.
(Below are photos from the 30th annual Cops-N-Kids shopping event at Walmart at 2485 Possum Run Road in Mansfield. The story continues below the photos.)
The event included current Mansfield police officers and Richland County Sheriff’s Office deputies, as well as retirees. The MPD brought out its mammoth mobile command post and the RCSO had its mounted unit, as well.
Elected officials were also on hand, including Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry, Mansfield Municipal Court Judge Michael Kemmerer and Shari Robertson, a retired Mansfield police captain and an At-large city council member.
The FOP conducts an annual local fundraising campaign to raise money for the program. Each child was granted between $125 and $175 to spend, depending on their age.
About 150 children, most of them associated with the Richland County Children Services kinship program, were joined by their families and lodge volunteers as they searched the aisles for clothing and shoes.
RCCS kinship care navigator Rhonda Marsah said she is grateful to once again be included by the FOP. She has been with RCCS for 24 years and is in her 16th year with the shopping program.
Kinship care providers are people who have a prior relationship with a child they take in, such as an extended family member, teacher, coach, scout leader or mentor.
“This program is very important because they struggle with working. Some of them work and then it’s still it’s not enough because there’s only a (small financial) supplement that they get from the government,” Marsh said.
“This helps out tremendously with school clothing and shoes and different things like that. It is such a wonderful thing to do,” she said.
“All this week, the caregivers have been calling me crying, saying ‘thank you,’ and they appreciate what the police department is doing for them. I just really thank God for this outing and what they are doing for our community,” Marsh said.
“It is such a blessing because if it wasn’t for them, some of these people would not get it (this clothing assistance). A lot of these people, almost everybody here would not get it,” she said.
Jacqueline Spurlock, coach and assistant manager at Walmart, said it was her fifth year with the program at the store on the city’s south side.
“Walmart is absolutely happy to participate and be a part of this event,” she said.
