Michael Berry
This December the Arizona Law Enforcement Outreach program will sponsor their annual Shop With A Cop with a Sheepdog. Shop With A Cop is an event that focuses on underprivileged children and young adults within a local community. The Sun Lakes Rangers will be sponsoring several children and young adults to ensure they wake up Christmas morning with a smile on their face. Sponsoring a child is approximately $100, and a young adult $150. The Rangers would like to raise enough money to sponsor at least 50 children and young adults this Christmas. If you can assist, please mail a check payable to Arizona Rangers-Sun Lakes Company, P.O. Box 12090, Chandler, AZ 85248. You can also send a donation via Zelle in your online banking app to [email protected]. Please note in the memo field “Shop With A Cop” so that the donations are directed appropriately.
The Arizona Rangers-Sun Lakes Company, along with law enforcement officers, will spend time with the children and shop with them in a local store. During the event, the children are given a gift certificate to purchase presents they want in the store. The Ranger and/or police officer acts as a chaperone and companion to the children throughout the day as they shop for gifts. In addition, Shop With A Cop helps children practice good decision-making with their budget as they shop for themselves and their loved ones.
Many of the children and families involved have had unfortunate experiences with law enforcement. No one wants that experience to be the family’s enduring memory of law enforcement. According to Ron Burchett, Captain of the Sun Lakes Company, “Seeing the smiles on these kids’ faces has been one of the best experiences I have had working as a Ranger.” This is the third consecutive year the Sun Lakes Rangers have participated in Shop With A Cop. If you would like to learn more about your Sun Lakes Rangers, go to www.azrangerssunlakes.org. The Arizona Rangers is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax deductible.