“Troopers
Lend A Helping Hand…..”
Trooper
Pat Bartram Memorial "Christmas for Kids" Program
Statewide - Saturday - December 16, 2000 - 10:00 a.m.
Across the state of Indiana, the 4th Annual "Christmas for
Kids" program was held on Saturday, 12/16/00, at 10 a.m. at 34 Wal-Mart
locations. Over 300 Indiana
children shopped with area Indiana
State Police officers for new clothing and toys compliments of the Indiana
Troopers Association.
Working with ITA President, Michael A. Nufer and Indiana State Police
Superintendent Melvin Carraway, one family from each Indiana county was given
$200 in Wal-Mart gift certificates, equally divided between new toys and new
clothing.
The program, formerly "Shop with a Cop", was renamed for
Indiana State Police Senior Trooper Pat Bartram, who assisted with the premier
program in 1997 and was killed in the line of duty in March 1998.
The program is totally funded by the Indiana Troopers Association.
Invitations for the program were mailed to all elementary schools in the
state. Schools provide the name of
a deserving family within their school system.
One family per county was selected to participate.
The purpose of the program is two-fold: to build rapport between the
children and Indiana State Police officers and to lend a helping hand during the
holiday season.
This program is believed to be the only statewide program of its kind in
the United States and allows our association to continue to meet our major goals
of "supporting those who serve" and "lending helping hand to
those in need'.
Although the weather was very cold and snowy in many parts of the state,
the 34 Wal-Mart shopping locations were filled with warmth and love during the
2-hour shopping event. Many
Wal-Mart locations provided additional gifts to the families, including family
dinners, extra gifts and discounts and even family portrait coupons.
Officers from each ISP district, some accompanied by their spouses, came
out to shop with the families on this special day.
Among the special guests was Sherry Walker, Pat Bartram’s mother, who
shopped with the families at the Indianapolis-Greenwood location.
According to reports from our officers who assisted with the shopping
program, it is unclear just who had the most fun – the children or the
officers.
As an association, we are pleased to be able to continue to “lend a
helping hand” to Indiana’s future – our children.