All of the participants in the 2009 Twin Lakes Shop with a Hero gather for a group photo. /Submitted photo
The Twin Lakes Professional Police Association took 30 area children to Wal-Mart in Lake Geneva for the annual “Shop with a Hero†program on Saturday.
Dani Knoll (left) and Eva Slay. /Submitted photo
This event is held annually each December just prior to Christmas. Each child, who attends either Lakewood or Randall school, was provided with a $150 gift card to spend at Wal-Mart. The children had the opportunity to shop with a police officer, firefighter, EMT or dispatchers from the Twin Lakes Police Department, Twin Lakes Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Randall Fire Department or Genoa City Police Department.
Deenah Kloth and police Chief Dale Racer. /Submitted photo
Many of the children used their gift cards to purchase Christmas gifts for their families. Several Twin Lakes village officials and local community members wrapped the gifts for the children.
This year the police department added a “surprise†shopper pick, in which a police officer walked around the store and picked an unsuspecting child who was in the store with their parent to receive a gift card of $150 to spend as they wished. This year, Jacob Marousek of Lake Geneva was the random pick for the surprise shopper.
Dispatcher Okayama (left), Victoria Landry and Bobby Thomas. /Submitted photo
The police association would like to extend a very special thank you to Steve Lippai of the Randall Fire Department who took photos of the Heroes and their assigned child at the end of their shopping spree and then printed individual photos for the child to cherish and remember their day with their Hero.
Money for the event is raised through generous donations from the community including the police and fire departments, local businesses, individual contributors and Wal-Mart. Twin Lakes Police Officer Joseph Balog, Shop with a Hero Coordinator, wishes to thank all those who contributed this season.
Anyone wishing to participate in next year’s Shop with a Hero event can contact Officer Balog at the Twin Lakes Police Department at 877-9056.
Sgt. Robert Santelli and Natasha Hohn. /Submitted photo
Barbara Teitz, Nan Haase and Noelle Racer helped wrap the gifts the shoppers purchased.
Officer Cooper presented a certificate to surprise shopper Jacob Marousek. /Submitted photo
