Cape Girardeau County sheriff joins others in unique annual shopping outing with kids

For 16 years, the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office has taken part in Cape Girardeau Walmart's Shop With a Hero program.

The program pairs public safety personnel with children selected by participating schools -- kids who need a helping hand when it comes to getting Christmas gifts each year.

Donations to fund the program over the years have come from the Walmart Foundation, local businesses, service clubs and others.

On Tuesday, nine members of Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson's department joined other adults in helping children shop for items they wanted.

"They have a set amount to spend and each child gets an equal allotment," said Dickerson, who has been the county's chief law enforcement officer since August 2018 and a member of the sheriff's office for over three decades.

"Some of them know exactly what they want, some have no idea, and we take them inside the store to where they want to go -- from toys to clothes to electronics," she said.

Dickerson said Shop With a Hero can be a good early exercise in budgeting for the kids.

"Sometimes hard decisions have to be made because they see something else they want and a choice has to be made -- in order to get this, they'll have to put something else back to stay under the limit," she said.

"The kids are great and get really excited."

Dickerson is mindful the Shop With a Hero experience may be the first time a participating child has ever interacted with the police.

"The program allows youth to feel comfortable that if they need something that we are here for them," she said.