Ten area children ages 19 months to 15 years took part in a unique experience last Saturday. They got to shop with Cedar Springs’ finest—the men in blue from the Cedar Springs Police Department.

Each year Meijer hosts several “Shop with a hero” events where underprivileged children walk the aisles with area firefighters and law enforcement personnel to shop for holiday gifts for themselves and their families.

Cedar Springs Police has taken part in it the last several years, at the Cedar Springs Meijer, and this year, it was Police Chief Roger Parent, Sgt. Ed Good, Officer Chad Potts, Officer Erick Porter, and Officer Jerry Wineland. Each child was given a $100 Meijer gift card and paired with a police officer to do their holiday shopping. They were also treated to a pizza party afterward.

“I think it’s a great thing to do,” remarked Sgt. Good. “We can relate to kids in a positive fashion. We see some happy children—you could really see it in their eyes how happy and excited they were.”