Cape Walmart Shop with a Hero event celebrates 25th Year

Two longtime participants in the Cape Walmart Shop with a Hero program are Lt. Barry Hovis of the Cape Girardeau Police Department and Valerie Wondrick, event coordinator for over 20 years. The event once called Shop with a Cop is celebrating 25 years of providing funds to needy children between the ages of 5 and 12 yrs. old to shop during the Christmas season with heroes from the community.

For 25 years the Shop with a Hero program at Cape Walmart has been providing a special shopping experience to selected children. Each year a child is matched up with a local hero who may be a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or first responder. Each child gets to shop at Walmart with funds which are raised by the heroes through businesses and individual sponsorship of children and a grant by the Walmart Foundation. During most of its history, Lt. Barry Hovis of the CGPD has been involved with the program once called Shop with a Cop. "There is nothing like bringing joy to a child as they shop for their toys or a gift for someone else," Hovis said. "It is something we look forward to every year at the station and I will miss it as an active member of the force when I retire next year. "Another long time participant is the Walmart Shop with a Hero coordinator, Valerie Wondrick, who comments on Hovis' retirement, "Barry has been one of the most avid supporters in this program. Whenever we have children who can't make it that morning to shop, more than once Barry has come back or had other officers come to make sure the child doesn't miss out on shopping with us. It is the way he is. We'll miss him." Gary Elders, Cape Walmart store manager, presented Hovis with the first Shop with a Hero Silver Service Award for his dedication along with a memory photo mouse pad. "It has been a great year to celebrate our silver anniversary with over $12,000 available for the children. Each will receive $100 plus a complimentary food ticket from McDonalds."