‘Shop With a Hero’ program brightens season for area kids

By Brandi Makuski

Shoppers may have noticed a heavy presence of firefighters at Fleet Farm on Tuesday night.

Nov. 28 marked the second annual Shop With a Hero event in Stevens Point, which pairs city firefighters with area kids who could use a little help during the Christmas season.

Department members, both on duty and those on their personal time, gathered at Fleet Farm for the shopping event.

Lt. Shane Westphal helps organize the program with assistance from Fleet Farm. He helped launch the program locally after seeing its success in other Wisconsin fire departments.

Westphal said with a little help from Portage Co. Health and Human Services, seven area youngsters were chosen to get a little help buying presents for their family members.

Firefighters allotted each child about $115 from the $1,000 in donated funds it had received for the shopping event. The department received a $500 gift card from Fleet Farm, $250 from Thrivent Financial, and a $250 donation from the charitable foundation of the firefighters’ union, the IAFF Local 484.

“It’s really a good cause and as you can see, it’s bringing a smile to the faces of the kids and the department members we have here tonight,” Westphal said. “So that’s always a good thing.”

Westphal said the Local 484 will take donations for the program throughout the year. For more information on donating to this and other charitable programs that the firefighter union operates, email [email protected], or go to stevenspointfirefighters.org.