Sumter County sheriff’s deputies, support staff and volunteers helped bring some Christmas cheer Saturday to hundreds of local children and their parents.
Sheriff Pat Breeden clearly enjoyed greeting the families as they began arriving before 9 a.m. Saturday for the Kids, Cops & Christmas event held at the Walmart at Buffalo Ridge Plaza in The Villages.
“The program gives children an opportunity to interact with law enforcement officers and helps improve community relations,” Breeden said.
The sheriff also praised The Villages clubs and Sumter County businesses which helped make the Kids, Cops & Christmas program possible. In addition, he thanked Capt. Robert Siemer, the District Commander for The Villages, for all the work he has put into making this event happen every year.
Volunteers registered the children and their parents and gave each child $100 for their Christmas shopping experience. As the youngsters moved through the registration line, Sgt. Adam Dodge paired the children with a shopping cart and a deputy who led them into the store. Once the eager shoppers were matched up with a deputy, most made their way directly to the toy section.
Thirteen-year-old Maria Greene and her little six-year-old brother were having a great time with Deputy Bibbo as they filled their shopping car with goodies. Deputy Bibbo indicated that interacting with the children at the annual Kids, Cops & Christmas is always a fun event which she looks forward to every year.
Deputy Daniels wore a Santa hat as he escorted children through the toy section. Daniels clearly bonded with the children and said he “loved the duty.”
The Walmart in Bushnell was also the scene of a Kids, Cops & Christmas shopping excursion with the deputies that afternoon where more than 200 children benefited from the program.