LAST YEAR ’ S SHOP WITH A SHERIFF EVENT INCLUDED A SPECIAL VISIT FROM SANTA CLAUS AND NUMEROUS PRESENTS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE . THE EVENING WAS COMPLETED WITH GIFT WRAPPING AND MILK AND COOKIES .
Stephens County Sheriff Wayne McKinney said after the generous support of the community last year , the department felt blessed to be able to support one local family in need . That mission will continue this year under the direction of Deputy Rick Coberly , this year ’ s coordinator who works with the committee to select families through a nomination process . But some help is needed to keep the program running and blessing families in need .
“ We need some additional donations to keep the program going ,” McKinney said . “ Now , obviously the sheriff ’ s department employees donate their time and money to make this successful event for the children , but we need other donations . It is a worthy cause .”
Last year , two lucky children had a special tow truck roll up with a toy car just for them .
“ Bryant ’ s Car Care — he ’ s the one that had brought the wrecker over with a little car ,” McKinney recalled . “ Even before we started Shop with a Sheriff , this gentleman would call me every year and say I ’ ve got a bicycle . I ’ ve got this . I got that . I want to donate it . Who do you know that needs it ? He ’ s just a good honest guy , a good man .”
Then , many more businesses and individuals in the community began contributing , which made the entire event possible .
After the toy car delivery , the Sheriff ’ s Department and the family went to shop at Walmart . They received toys and clothes . When they arrived back to the Sheriff ’ s Office , they spent time wrapping Christmas presents for each other , enjoying milk and cookies and even had a surprise visit from the Big Man in Red himself , Santa Claus .
“ We want to continue — everybody here is very excited about doing it ,” McKinney said . “ We want to continue that and make some children happy for Christmas .”
The family chosen goes through a nomination process and families must meet certain criteria set forth by the Sheriff ’ s Office .
“ There ’ s people that our deputies deal with on a day-today basis and a lot of them are in really a bad situation , especially with the economy ,” McKinney said . “ They don ’ t have the money or the funds to even buy groceries , much less toys for their children . A lot of the people that we deal with had some kind of a major incident happen to them and their family that causes us to intervene with something .
“ Unfortunately , we can ’ t do all of it , we will have to pick out one family — that committee will ,” McKinney said , noting nominations will remain open through the end of November . “ We asked the schools if they had any ideas — that ’ s 10 different schools . We ’ re just glad we ’ re able to do it again .”
The program will continue running after this year , McKinney said . The goal is to raise enough funds for this year as well as have a cushion to begin next year ’ s operations .
“ I would like to see it in the future that we would be able to open it to more than more than just one family ,” McKinney said . The Shop with a Sheriff event in December is a private event for the selected family . Anyone wishing to donate to the Shop with a Sheriff program can mail a check to P . O . Box 2063 , Duncan , OK 73534 , or contact the Stephens County Sheriff ’ s Office for more information by calling 580-255-3131 . DM
DUNCAN MAGAZINE | WINTER 2022 15