By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Christmas is now less than two months away, but not all local families have the funds to celebrate a traditional holiday. For the last several years, the Great Bend Police Department and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 23 have helped out with the Shop with a Cop program. Police Chief Steve Haulmark appeared before the Great Bend City Council Monday night to seek approval for continued use of municipal court diversion funds to help pay for the program.
"We get names from the elementary schools of families that might be in need, and might otherwise not be able to have a good Christmas experience because they can't afford presents and whatnot," he said. "We partner those young people with police officers, and we go to Walmart, get them a gift card, and help them shop."
The program typically helps approximately 50 students and their families each year. Last year, a gift card for a holiday meal was included. In 2023, GBPD was able to use funds from asset forfeitures to help offset program costs. Last year, Haulmark asked for $4,000 from the municipal court diversion fund to help pay for the program. That was again the request for this year's event, scheduled in December.
"That account currently has north of $36,000 in it, with no earmark for use at this point," Haulmark said. "That's our biggest youth-driven community-outreach event we do every year, and we're looking forward to doing it again, with your approval."
Councilmember Rickee Maddox asked if $4,000 was enough for the program. Haulmark said thanks to fundraising by the FOP and a donation from a local business owner to cover the meal portion of the program, the $4,000 would be enough. The council voted unanimously to approve the transfer of funds.