Area kids shop with cops for school clothing
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
BOARDMAN
About 40 children boarded a bright yellow bus, but they headed to Kmart rather than school. They were led by a procession of police cars.
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 28 and St. Dominic Church teamed up to provide children from the South Side with new school clothes. It’s an extension of the holiday program they have been doing for at least five years. In the winter, kids “Shop with a Cop” for gifts for family members.
On Saturday, police officers from Youngstown and surrounding areas helped children in kindergarten through grade 12 pick out $40 worth of school clothes each.
St. Dominic sponsored the event, said Victoria Allen, event coordinator for both Lodge 28 and the church.
The children need the clothes, Allen said.
“We just thought we can fill in the void and try to ease the kids’ burden,” she added.
Rather than simply hand the children, or their parents, money for clothes, they pair the kids with police officers to build relationships.
“We want to build that relationship with federal, local and state law enforcement, which is usually lost in our community,” Allen said. “Most children fear the police. They’re afraid of them. They don’t respect them, so this is just an opportunity to bring them together.”
This was the first time police officer John Pangio of Coitsville volunteered for Shop with a Cop.
The expressions on the children’s faces made it worthwhile, he said.
“Love it,” he said. “From ear to ear, a smile. They really do appreciate us.”
Helping the kids find the right sizes and the color they wanted was a new experience for Pangio, who has no children.
“They’re having fun, which is the most-important thing,” he said.
He helped 6-year-old Amiracle Hudson choose a navy-colored uniform dress.
Students in the Youngstown school district, except those who attend Chaney High School, must wear uniforms to school.
She likes wearing dresses, Amiracle said, but likes pants, too. She picked out a pair.
Treyveon Taylor, 5, chose uniform pants and shirts, but had more fun with his socks – he chose a package of socks decorated with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
He said shopping with the cops was fun.
Approximately 10 police departments joined the Youngstown officers for the event. Before shopping, the kids and officers had breakfast at St. Dominic.