The Cass County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 296 plans to do Shop With a Cop a little differently this year.
Traditionally, Shop With a Cop is a program in which police officers both state and local would shop with less fortunate children in the community the Saturday before Christmas. The process included volunteer help as well to provide the presents and rely on local businesses to help provide funds.
This year due to the COVID-19 pandemic the event will still be held, but the format has changed. Instead of allowing children to shop with the cop directly the FOP Lodge 296 of Cass County in Beardstown is accepting lists from 100-120 less fortunate children with a $100 maximum and distributing them to volunteers that will then shop for the items and deliver them.
While in the past the Lodge has focused on both Small Businesses and Large Corporation donations to provide each child with the gifts, with the recent decline of small business participation and the impact of the pandemic on small businesses, the funding for the event will come primarily from large corporations this year.
If you wish to donate to the event, donations can be mailed to the Cass/Beardstown FOP Lodge 296 at 418 East Main Street in Beardstown, Illinois. If you wish to make a cash donation or feel uncomfortable mailing the gift, you can call (217) 323-3131 or (217) 452-7718 to make arrangements.