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GALLERY: 250 served by 'Shop With A Cop'

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[This year, Shop With a Cop helped 250 kids have a good Christmas.

"It was by far the biggest year I've ever seen. We're usually doing 130 or 140 kids," Harrisburg Police Chief Bob Smith said.

The sheer number of kids waiting in line at Wal-Mart Saturday morning was amazing, Smith said.

When Smith came in the garden center door he could see people lined up, to the left, all around the store, he said.

Fortunately, there were enough community donations and enough law enforcement on hand to make sure no one was turned away.

"We had plenty of help there. I bet there were 30 law enforcement people there," Smith said.

For the first year, the United States Forest Service was represented by rangers from the Vienna Ranger Station.

A number of 4-H members and their adult leaders were on hand to assist the officers and many members of officers' families also were there.

Harrisburg officer Michael Riden, for example, brought his kids, wife and sister to be on hand.

Eleven-year-old Britton Riden is an old hand at Shop With a Cop. It was his third year helping.

"I like coming here helping kids," young Riden said.

For some, the shopping was a unique experience.

Johnny Walker of the Vienna Ranger Station, originally from Houston, Texas, was shaking his head in wonderment as he attempted to find socks for a youngster.

"This is all new to me," he said.

Shopping with a cop doesn't mean just toys. Before the toy department is explored, the officers head for the clothing departments to buy what a youngster needs for the winter.

For some, a new coat is needed. For others, footwear. Parents are able to help guide officers to the most needed items.

However, officers won't allow a child to leave without some fun.

One mother was heard to say "just clothing."

"Won't happen," an officer said. No matter what mom said, the young shoppers weren't allowed to leave without at least one toy.

The donations made this year were just enough to cover the extra kids.

"I'm very grateful to everybody who donated," Smith said. "These programs are awesome, but without the people's donations we'd never get off the ground."

Along with the Shop With A Cop kids, Wal-Mart hosted a number of onlookers - donors who wanted to see the smiles that dominated the aisles on Saturday.

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