December 22, 2011 was "Shop With A Cop" day in our town. It was posted on face book by our sheriff and there were 212 photos. Seems it was a very positive and happy day for all involved.
The 168 children who shopped with a cop went home with things they would have not gotten if not for this program. There were photos of children with bikes, computers, clothes and toys of all kinds and the children were of all ages. Hard for me to believe that there are that many families in need at this time of year in our little town.
Times are rough all over our country. Some will not even have a meal if they do not go to the shelters on Christmas day. Our community Center is opening up with volunteers to cook and serve those who would not have a Christmas dinner.
It breaks my heart when I see kids and families doing without any time of the year. We do not have people living under bridges here but we do have one man who sleeps on benches because he wants to. His name is Rockie and he has been offered help and all he wants is give him money, no clothes or food and no paying for him to stay in a motel for a week. He only wants money and when he gets it he gets drunk and does something that gets him a week or two at the local jail.
It is mostly the kids that get to me and what a joy it was to see the photo's of all these kids and cops at our local walmart at one time shopping for special gifts and thanking the cops who they shopped with.
Also, Wendy's, Burger King, Pizza Factory and McDonalds had open house for the cops and kids. Free meals for all who participated. This included the parents of the children also.
It was reported that this is the 14th annual shop with a cop here and it was by far the best. The money comes from contributors who give what they can and also some businesses give a large donation to this even though their business is not part of the store that gets shopped in. They just want to help those in need.
I just wanted to share what a joy it is to live in a community like this. I think shop with a cop is in a lot of other states too. The cops do not get paid that day to wear their uniforms and drive these kids to walmart in a police car which is a thrill for a lot of them. They spend the whole day doing this. A 20 hour shift as with that many kids they do not all go at one time.
I hope you and your family are fortunate enough to not need these services and have a wonderful and very Merry Christmas. So when you say grace on Christmas day before you have a beautiful and delicious meal please pray for those in need, be it health, food, shelter or just a toy for a child.
From me and mine Merry Christmas to you and yours. Remember the reason for the season.
Just a note that I will be having an after Christmas blow out sale at http://ola.com/store/chateycathey so stop by to see what I am losing money on just to be able to clear out a room.
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Friday, December 23, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
WHEN I WAS A CHILD
This is my favorite time of the year. However I do not care for the time changes. Spring forward...Fall back.
When I was a child we did not have this. We never had to change our clocks, be home earlier because it was getting dark an hour earlier, get up and go to school in the dark.
Live was much simplier when I was a child. We were allowed to play out side without our parents keeping an eye on us every minute. We walked through two small towns to get to the only public swimming pool without being afraid. We went to the movies and sat through seeing it twice. We loved the cartoons before the movie.
We dressed our age and acted our age. I feel sorry for kids today as they try to keep up with what they see on television. Girls want to dress far above their age. And teenage girls want all the new makeup and they wear too much of it.
I think the boys want to dress like what they see on television also. Pants too big and hanging down on their butt. Baseball caps being worn every way but the way they were meant to be worn. Chains hanging from their jeans and earrings in at least one year.
When I was young we walked every where went as we could not afford a car. If we did not walk we rode our bikes. We actually could not afford a television until I was 9 years old and there was very few shows to watch. Most of our time was spent outside playing hop scotch, hide and seek, marbles or kick the can.
It was simple and it was fun. We shared toys and games. We shared almost everything even our food. Heck my brother let me wear one of his extra pair of pants under my skirt as we walked to school and it was cold and snowing. Once we got to school girls had to take off the leggins, or in my case my brothers pants, and put them in the cloak room. Yes cloak room as we did not have lockers back then and girls were not allowed to wear anything but dresses or skirts and sweaters or blouses.
It is not as easy for kids these days as there is such a thing as peer pressure. We did not have that back then. Yes there were some kids at school who dressed better than others and had better homes but that did not seem to matter to us. We were happy with what we had.
I would not change a thing about my childhood. I grew up to respect others and be grateful for what I do have. I am so blessed to have been able to get good grades and go to college (worked my way through). I am happy with the life I have led and proud that my parents raised us to the best of their ability.
My morher dies when I was 22 and my father died when I was 29. I love them and miss them and I thank them for loving me enough to let me be a kid when I was one.
Be safe, be healthy and be happy
When I was a child we did not have this. We never had to change our clocks, be home earlier because it was getting dark an hour earlier, get up and go to school in the dark.
Live was much simplier when I was a child. We were allowed to play out side without our parents keeping an eye on us every minute. We walked through two small towns to get to the only public swimming pool without being afraid. We went to the movies and sat through seeing it twice. We loved the cartoons before the movie.
We dressed our age and acted our age. I feel sorry for kids today as they try to keep up with what they see on television. Girls want to dress far above their age. And teenage girls want all the new makeup and they wear too much of it.
I think the boys want to dress like what they see on television also. Pants too big and hanging down on their butt. Baseball caps being worn every way but the way they were meant to be worn. Chains hanging from their jeans and earrings in at least one year.
When I was young we walked every where went as we could not afford a car. If we did not walk we rode our bikes. We actually could not afford a television until I was 9 years old and there was very few shows to watch. Most of our time was spent outside playing hop scotch, hide and seek, marbles or kick the can.
It was simple and it was fun. We shared toys and games. We shared almost everything even our food. Heck my brother let me wear one of his extra pair of pants under my skirt as we walked to school and it was cold and snowing. Once we got to school girls had to take off the leggins, or in my case my brothers pants, and put them in the cloak room. Yes cloak room as we did not have lockers back then and girls were not allowed to wear anything but dresses or skirts and sweaters or blouses.
It is not as easy for kids these days as there is such a thing as peer pressure. We did not have that back then. Yes there were some kids at school who dressed better than others and had better homes but that did not seem to matter to us. We were happy with what we had.
I would not change a thing about my childhood. I grew up to respect others and be grateful for what I do have. I am so blessed to have been able to get good grades and go to college (worked my way through). I am happy with the life I have led and proud that my parents raised us to the best of their ability.
My morher dies when I was 22 and my father died when I was 29. I love them and miss them and I thank them for loving me enough to let me be a kid when I was one.
Be safe, be healthy and be happy
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