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FAIRMONT -- While celebrations may muted and gatherings may be smaller, the COVID-19 pandemic can't stop Christmas from coming with all it's traditional festivities. One tradition, a favorite for many communities, is the Shop With A Cop program.
Normally children get to go with an officer to shop for Christmas gifts for their families, but this year will look a little different. Officer Jaimie Bleess shares what will and will not take place for the event, which will occur on Monday.
"It's going to be Fairmont Police officers and staff and families coming together to shop in a different way," he said. "Because of COVID regulations we're setting up families ahead of time, trying to identify families that have had a particularly rough year. We're not bringing the kids with us to shop, we're collecting lists from the family and then shopping for them.
"Then we'll be wrapping presents with officers and some officers' family members and then delivering them to their homes. That way we can still get the spirit of giving out to families that have had a rough year and continue one of our favorite traditions in the Police Department.
"It's just a modified way of doing things during this pandemic. We'll be showing up at the front door like Santa Claus, only it's a police officer in uniform.
"Doing it this way, I think we might have identifed a couple of families that we normally wouldn't have. So it's an exciting time for us.
Bleess stated that the shopping will be done at WalMart in Fairmont.
"They were very generous with us, they donated $500 toward our event. The Fairmont Police Officers Association is going to match that, and then the Fairmont Police Department is formally participating in this with on-duty officers to support this too. So it's a pretty cool deal."
Bleess said he hopes that by moving forward with a modified event, it will be a bright spot for the families, and show the community that officers are still willing to help people in as many ways as possible. The event has changed hands over the years, spearheaded by officers Brad Buhmann and Dustin Shwebke, passing on to other officers including Bleess.
"It's something that's fun to rotate through with who's in charge of it," said Bleess. "It's rewarding to see it all come together each year. It's been great."