CRESTVIEW — More than 100 children in lower-income households will have a bright Christmas morning following the Crestview Police Department's Toys for Kids program.
Six volunteers from the Community Policing Division, Allen Turner Chevrolet and the News Bulletin visited the Crestview Wal-Mart Monday morning to buy them presents.
Three hours, 15 loaded shopping carts and almost $5,000 later, all 110 children on Officers Wanda Hulion and Sam Kimmons' lists had at least three toys selected and paid for.
It was the largest number of children served since the program began 15 years ago, Hulion said.
"We're not used to this," she said. "Usually we collect just a few hundred dollars from our donation boxes around town. This is just blowing my mind."
The program's biggest donation came from the auto dealer's employees, who through paycheck deductions voluntarily contributed $6,500.
Other donors included Crestview dentist Dr. Steven Barry, who gave $300, and Wal-Mart, which donated $200.
"With the program expanding, we've never had this kind of budget," Kimmons said. "We are able to reach more kids this year. It's a great feeling to do this and get kids things they hopefully really want."
Unexpected assistance came after the $4,730.53 bill was settled. Baker School Junior ROTC students, wrapping gifts to raise money outside the store, noticed the volunteers trying to guide the laden carts out to the curb and pitched in.
As some students brought the rest of the carts outside, Cadet M.E. Cates quickly organized them into a gift brigade.
Sacks of toys were quickly passed from one student to the next from the shopping carts down the line to the backs of Kimmons and Hulion's patrol trucks.
"We were glad to help out," Cates said.
"I love this time of year in Community Service," Hulion said. "It brings out the best in everybody."
On Christmas Eve, the officers also will deliver gifts to children spending Christmas in North Okaloosa Medical Center.
"This is the first time we've done that," Hulion said. "It was pretty cool."
The News Bulletin joined Crestview Police Department Officers Wanda Hulion and Sam Kimmons, and volunteers from Allen Turner Chevrolet shopping for toys for the Cops for Kids program families.
Here's a rundown of the Dec. 21 shopping spree at the Crestview Wal-Mart:
Families participating: 38
Children served: 110
Volunteer shoppers: 6
Filled shopping carts: 15
Check-out lanes used: 3
Toys bought: 332
Total cost: $4,730.53
FIREFIGHTERS FOR KIDS
Crestview's police officers aren't the only Public Safety Department members helping underprivileged kids this Christmas.
As Officers Wanda Hulion and Sam Kimmons pushed their carts through Wal-Mart Monday morning, they encountered Crestview Fire Department Capt. Chris Anderson and firefighter Kelly Thomas with a laden cart of their own.
Firefighters for Kids, in its first year, partnered with the Guardian Ad Litem program to help a local family: a grandmother with four grandchildren and a paraplegic adult daughter.
"We're glad to help," Thomas said. "It's not a lot this year, but we're glad to do what we can. Next year, I hope it'll be bigger."
"I bought the diapers and the un-fun stuff," Anderson said. "Santa Claus brought the fun stuff on a fire truck."
COPS FOR KIDS: BY THE NUMBERS
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview police, volunteers go on Cops for Kids shopping spree (PHOTOS, VIDEO)