Local students participate in “Shop with a Cop” sponsored by the Italy P.D.

Barry Byers Posted December 16, 2011 8:30pm Italy PD

Image: Italy Police Officers and Stafford Elementary students are ready to do a little Christmas shopping in participation with the I.P.D. sponsored “Shop with a Cop” program. Back row: Officer Shawn Martin, Officer Daniel Pitts, Stafford Elementary Principal Miller Jason Miller, Officer Eric Tolliver and Chief Diron Hill. Middle row: Officer Tierra Mooney, Nicholas Feemster (4th grade), Austin Lowe (6th grade) and Tomi Newman (6th grade). Front row: Byron Davis (2nd grade) and his little sister Mariah Davis (1st grade). Not pictured: Animal Control Officer Shelbi Landon. — Italy Police Officers and Stafford Elementary students are ready to do a little Christmas shopping in participation with the I.P.D. sponsored “Shop with a Cop” program. Back row: Officer Shawn Martin, Officer Daniel Pitts, Stafford Elementary Principal Miller Jason Miller, Officer Eric Tolliver and Chief Diron Hill. Middle row: Officer Tierra Mooney, Nicholas Feemster (4th grade), Austin Lowe (6th grade) and Tomi Newman (6th grade). Front row: Byron Davis (2nd grade) and his little sister Mariah Davis (1st grade). Not pictured: Animal Control Officer Shelbi Landon. (Barry Byers)

Five excited Stafford Elementary students were selected to participate in the Italy Police Department’s “Shop with a Cop” program on Thursday and received a police escort from their school to Walmart in Waxahachie.

Chief Diron Hill, Animal Control Officer Shelbi Landon, Officer Daniel Pitts, Officer Tierra Mooney, Officer Eric Tolliver and Officer Shawn Martin accompanied Byron Davis (2nd grade), Mariah Davis (1st grade), Tomi Newman (6th grade), Austin Lowe (6th grade) and Nicholas Feemster (4th grade) as they whisked their shopping carts from one isle to the next, looking for just the right gifts for their immediate family members and then for themselves. With the help from donors throughout the community, each shopper received $325.00 to spend for Christmas.

A new bicycle was the most popular item on everyone’s wish list with video games and electronics being picked as well. The officers enjoyed the event along with the students as officers paired off with students to search for those must have items.

After the shopping trip, everyone returned to Italy for a buffet lunch at Pizza Inn where laughter and smiles were as abundant as the cheese and pepperoni. Following the meal, the satisfied group setup a mini Santa’s Workshop inside the City of Italy council chambers.

Bling ’N Blooms owner, Deonna Padilla, demonstrated her gift wrapping skills as Padilla and the officers began to help the students wrap all their gifts to be delivered by the officers on Christmas Eve, along with a family meal from Cracker Barrell in Desoto.

Chief Hill and and his fellow officers wish to give special thanks to the following donors:

Walmart, Waxahachie, Texas
Cracker Barrel, DeSoto, Texas
Bling ’N Blooms, Italy, Texas
CNB Bank, Waxahachie, Texas – Chelsi Frazier
Hobbs Feed & Supply, Italy, Texas
Pizza Inn, Italy, Texas
Marty Haight, Italy, Texas
Larry and Martha Norcross, Italy, Texas
Zack Masri, Italy, Texas
The Garcia Family, Italy, Texas
Jackie Miller, Jr., Italy, Texas
Phillip and Manuela Martin, Waxahachie, Texas

Also, the Italy Police Department thanks the businesses located in Italy that displayed “Shop with a Cop” collection boxes:

Bling ’N Blooms
Texas Best Smokehouse/Shell
Tiger Mart/Exxon
Sonic
Subway
Dollar General
Mama’s Place
Mansell Grocery
Manuela’s Salon
Fina
Uptown Cafe
Citizens National Bank
First State Bank
South Ellis County Water Supply Corporation
Italy Dry Cleaners
Italy Auto Supply

“The Italy Police Department wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!”

Officers begin planning shopping strategies with the students as the group approaches the Walmart entrance in Waxahachie. (Barry Byers)

Nicholas and Officer Daniel Pitts get on the same page before racing down the isles looking for gift items. (Barry Byers)

That’s the game I want! Officer Shelbi Landon, Officer Eric Tolliver and Officer Daniel Pitts assist Nicholas in the video game section. (Barry Byers)

All Officer Eric Tolliver wants for Christmas is a Hemi while Austin decides the money would be better spent on a bicycle. (Barry Byers)

How often do you get a police escort while riding a bike around Walmart? Officer Eric Tolliver keeps pace with Austin while he tries out his new bicycle. (Barry Byers)

Chief Diron Hill helps Tomi choose a new pair of tennis shoes.

Officer Shawn Martin tries calling for backup as he and Byron converge on Toyland inside Walmart. Cleanup on isle 9! (Barry Byers)

Henry E. Gasaway, an assistant manager at Walmart #260 in Waxahachie, assists Officer Tierra Mooney and Stafford Elementary 1st grader Mariah Davis in picking out just the right bicycle. (Barry Byers)

Mission accomplished! Mariah shows her excitement on her new bicycle she picked out for Christmas. (Barry Byers)

Officer Eric Tolliver realizes this could take awhile as one full shopping cart after another makes their way to the checkout line. (Barry Byers)

Stafford Elementary 6th grader Tomi Newman displays her new acoustic guitar she picked out for Christmas. (Barry Byers)

Officer Eric Tolliver surprises Austin with one last toy item before checking out. (Barry Byers)

Mariah quickly puts her new umbrella to use in the sprinkling rain as the group begins to load up and return to Italy. (Barry Byers)

Officer Eric Tolliver supervises while Chief Hill receives assistance from Byron and Mariah. (Barry Byers)

Animal Control Officer Shelbi Landon and Officer Eric Tolliver help load Austin’s gift items. (Barry Byers)

All that shopping really works up an appetite. Officers and students enjoy the lunch buffet at Pizza Inn® in Italy. (Barry Byers)

Chief Hill offers some more slices of pizza to Mariah. (Barry Byers)

Deonna Padilla, owner of Bling ’N Blooms flower and jewelry shop in Italy, arrives to help with the Christmas wrapping. Deonna demonstrates to Austin and Mariah her gift wrapping technique inside the City of Italy Council Chambers. (Barry Byers)

Officer Tolliver helps Austin put the final touches on a wrapped present while Deonna Padilla assists Byron with the wrapping of one of his gifts. (Barry Byers)

Animal Control Officer Shelbi Landon shows Nicholas how not to wrap a present and then shows him a better way to wrap his presents. (Barry Byers)

Officer Tierra Mooney helps Mariah write out her Christmas tag. When asked who her favorite police officer was? Mariah said, "Officer “Tooney” Mooney." (Barry Byers)

Officer Shawn Martin lends a helping hand to Byron. (Barry Byers)

The Italy Police Department wishes to give a special thanks to all the donors that helped make the “Shop with a Cop” program a success. Austin, Tomi, Nicholas, Byron and Mariah enjoyed a day of fun they will long remember and are sure to have a joyous Christmas! (Barry Byers)