More than 20 students from Alachua County elementary schools ran through the doors of Wal-Mart in Butler Plaza on Friday morning.
For the third year, Gainesville Police gave a group of students $100 each to buy Christmas presents for themselves, their families and their friends as part of the department’s Shop with a Cop program. The kids rode into the Wal-Mart parking lot in police cars, sirens wailing, and were greeted by Santa Claus and a group of enthusiastic employees.
Krystal Smith, 9, traveled from the toy aisle to the clothing section as she picked out gifts for her family and four new outfits for herself.
The Stephen Foster Elementary School student said her favorite part of the day was shopping with GPD Officer Ryan Quinn.
“He’s super fun, and he’s awesome, too,” Smith said.
Quinn said it’s his third year participating in the shopping spree. The students are chosen by their schools’ resource officers based on income and classroom behavior.
“The officers in the schools are really good at picking the students that really have a need,” Quinn said.
He said he enjoys being part of the event and spending time with the kids each year.
After completing most of Smith’s shopping list, Quinn helped her find one last gift, a password journal.
By the end of the morning, Smith found and bought a locked blue journal bearing Elsa, her favorite character from the movie “Frozen,” on the front.
Quinn took her to the cash register to check out, and Smith went back to school to wrap the presents she picked.
“I think when my family opens them up, I’ll say, ‘I love you, and Merry Christmas,’” she said.
