For 20 local children, it was a day at the Cornwall Centre they will never forget.
“It’s such an exciting day, I’m telling you we were listening to Christmas music on the way and all these youngsters are just so excited for this,” Evan Bray, Regina Police Chief said.
It’s all part of the Regina City Police TRiP initiative designed to help students stay on a good path.
“This is a chance for us to bring kids out that might not always have the opportunity to come and just go shopping at the Cornwall Centre,” Bray said.
CopShop is an annual event that pairs 20 police officers with 20 youth who get to embark on a shopping spree.
“The police officers are their guardian and shopper and go around with the children today to help them spend the $200 gift certificate that we give children so that they can buy some gifts for themselves and for their loved ones,” Doug Kozak, general manager of the Cornwall Centre said.
“Part of the prerequisite of being chosen today is that your in school regularly, you’re getting good grades, your engaged in activities and things are going well at home and that’s what we’ve seen from these youngsters so this is part of their reward,” Bray said.
Rule Chollak was among the youth chosen, he had a long list of people he was eager to buy for.
“I’m looking for stuff for my family,” he said. “Things like lotion and I was getting a candle, I’m going to get my brother a gift card and I’m going to get my other brother a nerf gun.”
In addition to the $200 gift card, the kids also received a stocking filled with personalized items a pair of jeans provided by GAP and a new pair of mittens from Hudson’s Bay.
“I was blown away by how emotionally it takes you to see the relationship of the kids with the police officers develop and it really is the Christmas spirit event of the year for us,” Kozak said.