Shop with a Hero coming Dec. 6

Kortny Hahn, Cheboygan Daily Tribune
·3 min read
In 2020, the heroes who participated in the Shop with a Hero event had to contact their families and make arrangements to do the shopping for gifts separately. Each year, the Cheboygan Department of Public Safety, including Officer Jordan Mutschler, has participated in this event, even through the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, the heroes who participated in the Shop with a Hero event had to contact their families and make arrangements to do the shopping for gifts separately. Each year, the Cheboygan Department of Public Safety, including Officer Jordan Mutschler, has participated in this event, even through the COVID-19 pandemic.

CHEBOYGAN — At 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 6, the annual Shop with a Hero event will be returning to Cheboygan County, allowing children to shop for presents for their families with local emergency responders.

There will be multiple local law enforcement agencies, as well as firefighters, paramedics and military personnel.

"We are encouraging all the heroes that we can get to participate," said Cheboygan Department of Public Safety Director Kurt Jones. "Police, fire, ambulance, military, Coast Guard."

Tuscarora Township Fire Chief Dave Carpenter had a blast shopping with Kyleigh Kenny, who wanted to make sure to get lots of presents for her sister, mom and dad at 2019's Shop with a Hero event.
Tuscarora Township Fire Chief Dave Carpenter had a blast shopping with Kyleigh Kenny, who wanted to make sure to get lots of presents for her sister, mom and dad at 2019's Shop with a Hero event.

Jones said he is not sure if the United States Coast Guard personnel will be back from taking the Christmas trees to Chicago in time to participate in this year's Shop with a Hero event, but if they are, everyone would sure like to have them come out to the event.

This event is being sponsored by Walmart, Cheboygan County police, fire and emergency medical services personnel, local military heroes and Pepsi. The goal of the event is to allow less fortunate families to have a little better of a Christmas, all while spending some time with great role models for the children.

Last year, the event needed to be modified due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the local law enforcement, firefighters and EMS personnel took turns taking their shoppers into the store and purchasing the presents for their family members. Everyone was also required to wear masks to make sure everyone was as safe as possible during the pandemic.

Each of the different departments were given a list of the families to contact and make arrangements for the officer, firefighter or medic to meet the family at Walmart and go shopping with the children on whatever day or time is easiest for everyone.

Many members of local law enforcement, firefighters and other emergency personnel take part in the annual Shop with a Hero event at Cheboygan Walmart each year, including Cheboygan Department of Public Safety Sergeant Ron White.
Many members of local law enforcement, firefighters and other emergency personnel take part in the annual Shop with a Hero event at Cheboygan Walmart each year, including Cheboygan Department of Public Safety Sergeant Ron White.

This year, things are getting back to a little closer to normal.

"It's nice to be doing something normal," said Brenda Temple, Administrative Assistant with the Cheboygan Department of Public Safety.

Last year's numbers were a little lower, but 2019 was the largest of the Shop with a Hero events at Cheboygan Walmart in a long time, with around 81 children receiving the gift cards and going shopping with a first responder from around the area.

"It looks like we might have somewhere between 50 and 70 kids," said Jones. "It might be our biggest year ever."

The goal of the Shop with a Hero event is to brighten some children's holidays, as well as giving them time to get to know a first responder, such as Lt. Josh Ginop of the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Department, while shopping for gifts for friends and family.
The goal of the Shop with a Hero event is to brighten some children's holidays, as well as giving them time to get to know a first responder, such as Lt. Josh Ginop of the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Department, while shopping for gifts for friends and family.

This year, each of the children will be given a gift card for $50 that has been donated specially for the event, and allowed to walk around the store with one of the heroes, gathering up gifts for their family members for whom they want to buy.

The children and the hero will also be in charge of keeping track how much the child is spending with their gifts, which will be a learning experience for the children in budgeting and math.

This is a special opportunity for children all around the area to be able to meet and spend time with the police, fire and emergency medical personnel, get to know them and have some fun, all while getting gifts for the upcoming Christmas holiday.

This year, the Cheboygan Department of Public Safety, Cheboygan County Sheriff's Department, Tuscarora Township Police Department, Mackinac County Sheriff's Department, Michigan State Police Gaylord Post 73, Mackinaw City Police Department, Cheboygan Fire Department, Inverness Fire Department, Alverno Fire Department, Cheboygan Life Support Systems ambulance and local military service members will be participating in the event.

Contact Features Writer Kortny Hahn at khahn1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @khahnCDT.

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Shop with a Hero coming Dec. 6