Heights ‘Cops and Kids’ going shopping

Fifty children 12 and younger will be treated to a shopping spree at Meijer as part of police program.

HUBER HEIGHTS — Move aside Santa. You’ve got a little competition come Christmas Eve — unless you want to risk a few parking tickets on your sleigh.

Members of the Huber Heights Fraternal Order of Police would hardly mistreat dear ol’ St. Nick, but they are treating a flock of Huber Heights youngsters to a special shopping day.

With a contribution from Meijer on Harshman Road the FOP has started its new program “Cops And Kids.”

Led by FOP 161 president Mike Noll, an 18-year veteran detective on the Huber Heights Police Department, members have selected 50 children 12 and younger to take on a shopping spree at Meijer. Each of the kids will be provided with a $125 gift certificate.

“The objective is simple,” said Noll. “It’s to make kids extra happy at Christmas time. We will be walking with the children and will be steering them toward clothes, mainly hats and coats and pajamas for the winter.

“If they have a little left over, they can head for the toy department — and we’ll have refreshments for participating parents.”

He said the shopping day will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19.

Other officers of the FOP are John Kissee, vice-president; Tom Milligan, treasurer and Charles Taylor, secretary.

Other members of the police department are in their second year of a program called Holiday Hope, which aids needy families. Huber Heights Police Chief Rob Schommer said “this program is in partnership with the Target store on Executive Boulevard in the Heights.

“We had 10 families in the program last year and this year we expect to have at least 15 families,” said Schommer.

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