Our Christmas with Cops event is an annual program we developed right here at the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office. With Christmas with Cops, our local law enforcement agencies reach out to school counselors from the Ashe County School Board to identify two students from each public school who could use our help to help make their Christmas special.

Once these children are chosen, officers from Ashe Memorial Hospital, West Jefferson Police Department, Jefferson Police Department, New River State Park Rangers, Ashe County Probation Officers and our office, the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office, take them on a pre-Christmas shopping spree at our local Walmart. The students are given Walmart gift cards paid for though donations from generous citizens and businesses in the community. These cards go a long way to allowing the children to pick out something for themselves and, usually, something for their family members.

The management and staff of our local Walmart in West Jefferson is critical to the success of the program as Walmart not only hosts the event but also donates much-needed Winter clothing, snacks and beverages, stockings filled with goodies and also provides an addition gift card for the children to spend.

Christmas with Cops is a wonderful opportunity for our agency, the surrounding agencies and members of the community to give back to the families and children of Ashe County during the Christmas season.