(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue reports that on Saturday December 17th, Reserve Officers from the Atlantic Police Department held their annual “Family Dream Christmas” program. The Chief says “This year the APD Reserves were assisted by the SWI Chaplains Association, and a Harlan Police Reserve. The Atlantic Girls Basketball Team were back once again this year and did a great job setting up, taking down, and organizing the toy room.”

There were a total of 13 families helped in the program this year. Eight families were taken shopping to local businesses in Atlantic. This included shopping for all members of their families. They also received a full Christmas Dinner. The families also received a gift card to a local grocery store to help with food and meat cost during the holiday season. According to Chief Hogue, the Department “Provided five additional families with a trip through the Reserve Departments toy room, which includes new toys that are donated throughout the year. The children in these families were brought through the toy room and picked out a few items each that they would like to have. These families were also provided with the same Christmas dinner and gift card.”

And then, on Sunday, December 18th, the Atlantic Police Department sponsored the “Shop with a Cop” program. The program was run exclusively at Walmart in Atlantic. Chief Hogue says
“This year we were assisted by The Atlantic Police Reserves, The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, The Iowa State Patrol, The SWI Chaplain’s Association, Iowa DNR, Iowa DOT, Retires from the Iowa State Patrol and Cass County Sheriff’s Office, as well as officers wives and children. In total twenty-six officers/helpers were present and took **THIRTY-SEVEN** children shopping. All of the children were paired up with officers, and sent out into the store to find items they were in need of, as well a couple items on their want list. We would also like to thank Subway for having “sack lunches” made and ready for them to take home.”

Just some of the many photos from the “Shop With a Cop” program (Pics from the Atlantic Police Dept. Facebook page)

All together, during the “Family Dream Christmas” and “Shop with a Cop” programs the Atlantic Police and Reserve Departments were able to help a total of 73 children and 20 adults within 27 families to have a much more joyful Christmas experience!! We would not be able to run these programs without the wonderful donations we receive each year. Atlantic Police Chief Hogue extends a “Thank you to all of the MANY generous PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS that contributed to our cause and to the following companies and groups.”

That includes the “Let’s Make them Smile” Pool Tournament, Richter & Son Towing, OSI “Oakland Foods” Women in leadership group, JBG Farms, The Atlantic High School Student Council, Atlantic Carriers, Cappel’s Ace Hardware, Meyer & Gross Real Estate, Pymosa Lodge #271, First Interstate Bank, Community 1^st Credit Union, Own Today Better Tomorrow, The LuAnn Gipple Memorial American Legion Post 43, Atlantic Hy-Vee, Greg Young Chevrolet, Atlantic Wal-Mart, The Atlantic News & Telegraph, KSOM, KJAN, Atlantic Subway, Brown’s Shoe Fit, as well as MANY MANY more!