Too often when our deputies are together with other local law enforcement officers they’ve come together to cooperatively deal with a tragic event or remedy a dangerous situation. It’s the nature of the job they’ve chosen and I remain constantly thankful for all of the assistance our deputies get from our fellow law enforcement officers here in Ashe.
With that in mind, it was heartwarming earlier this week to see our deputies working hand-in-hand with other local police officers for something fun and positive.
On Monday our deputies were able to join with their colleagues in helping Christmas shine a little brighter for a handful of local children.
As part of the annual Christmas with Cops event, the children, all chosen by school counselors in Ashe County, met up at Walmart where they teamed up with Walmart staff and law enforcement officers from our agency and both the West Jefferson Police Department and the Ashe Memorial Hospital Police Department. These kids were given Walmart gift cards and encouraged to treat themselves as the officers helped them shop for gifts and keep track of their budget (though some officers where admittedly better at the math than others).
Seeing these officers laughing together and getting excited as they shopped and played together with the kids was one of the best parts of Christmas for me. While our uniforms may have all looked different, we were all just cops that day, having a great time with some cool kids.
Christmas with Cops, a joint project with Walmart, the new not-for-profit Badges of Ashe and all of the law enforcement agencies that operate in Ashe County, always ends up being one of our favorite events of the year and this year was no exception.
Donations for this event came from a large grant awarded to the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office from Walmart specifically for the event, along with generous donations from the Ashe Memorial Police Department, the Copper Mine Grill, the Motherboard and Badges of Ashe’s “No Shave November” fundraiser.
Donations also came in from several local residents who wished to remain anonymous and participants were provided with well-stocked stockings from Motherboard and boxes of food from the Ashe County Sharing Center.
This generosity from all involved was especially humbling as we recognize that most every agency, business and individual here in Ashe is dealing with tighter budgets this year. With this in mind, a donation of any size or type is particularly appreciated.
Thank you to the officers who volunteered their time, to the staff at Walmart who worked so hard to make it a perfect day, to those that gave their money, their time and their labor to remember a handful of very special and deserving kids right here in Ashe County.
Stay safe today everybody and enjoy a wonderful Christmas.
