Big Turnout For Annual ‘Shop With A Hero’ Event

Several first responders gathered at the Sedalia Walmart, 3201 W. Broadway, to take part in “Shop With A Hero,” formerly “Shop With A Cop,” on Saturday morning.

According to Sedalia Police Sgt. Aaron Barry, this is the 18th annual event and it just keeps getting bigger every year.

Participating agencies includes Sedalia Police, Pettis County Sheriff’s Department, Sedalia Fire, Pettis County Fire, PCAD, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Sedalia-Pettis County Joint Communications.

Depending on the size of each pre-approved family, between one and three first responders were assigned to go along with them and keep a running total of the cost, as each child was allowed $100 worth of merchandise.

The families were selected by Missouri Valley Head Start, Sgt. Barry noted. Each family was given a specific time to show up at Walmart to make the entire operation a lot smoother.

Most kids went for the toy section right away. But some opted for new clothes as well.

Larry Klein, who works at W-K Chevrolet, which is the main sponsor for the event, helped organize Shop With A Hero, adding that the local event began in 2007. Klein noted that he originally worked for Williams Woody Nissan when the event first started. When that dealership closed, Klein began his employment with W-K, and said he visited with the Weymuth family about Shop With A Cop, and they agreed that it would be a great idea to continue the worthwhile tradition.

Klein stated that 2020 was the only year that the event was not held, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Community support had been vital to the success of the program.

“The community’s been great. It’s not just me, I mean it’s everybody that participates in this. These first responders do a great job helping me put it together,” Klein said.

He estimated that 160 kids (and their families) from Pettis County took part in Shop With A Hero Saturday. But in addition to that, dozens of kids from Sedalia School District 200 will go through the store this week in a similar fashion to ensure they have a good Christmas this year as well.

Klein said he was preparing to pick up even more donations last Saturday afternoon to help keep the program funded.

So many kids took part in Shop With A Hero that most first responders went through the store two or three times with different families to make sure each family had an escort.

To help get them in the Christmas mood, each child was given a Santa hat to wear during their shopping excursion.