Christmas memories are still fresh for 350 children, thanks to the $17,750 donated by community members for the annual Shop With a Cop last month and the efforts of groups that organized and volunteered in the event – Greater King County Police Activities League, Maple Valley Rotary, Greater Maple Valley Community Center and the Wal-Mart store in Covington.

The at-risk and underprivileged children spent the morning of Dec. 13 at the Wal-Mart picking out Christmas gifts that were paid for by contributions. The kids were accompanied by a combined 58 officers from the King County Sheriff Department (“This is the one event our officers wouldn’t miss,” said Sheriff Department Sgt. Reid Johnson), the Seattle, Maple Valley, Black Diamond and Covington police departments, and the U.S. Marshal and Air Marshal agencies. One of the U.S. Marshal volunteers also helped with Shop with a Cop when he was an Explorer Scout.

Each child was given $50 that came from fund-raisers and “major contributors,” an event spokeswoman said. The latter included Maple Valley Rotary, Mark and Tonnyia Cairns, Wal-Mart, Covington Elementary School PTA, Jim Flynn, BECU, Sean and Sheila Henderson, Dale and Patti Jenson, Mt. Rainier Bank, Daniel and Debbie Chavanu, and Covington Rotary.