WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Phoenix Bernhard will have a Merry Christmas.
The pit bull’s owner, 10-year-old Steven, made sure of that.
“Phoenix loves these,” Steven said, waving a package of Greenies dog treats as a police officer helped him unload his shopping cart at the Burlington store in Whitehall.
“My dad found him in the street and we kept him. This is his Christmas present. He’s our family, too.”
Each child was given a $200 gift card to shop for holiday gifts for family members.Whitehall-Coplay Schools' Shop with a Cop
The warmth of giving was on full display on a chilly Thursday morning at Whitehall-Coplay School District’s third annual Zephyr Holiday event at the store.
Steven was among 24 elementary and middle school students who have faced challenges such as financial insecurity or loss of a parent over the past year.
Through donations, each child was given a $200 gift card to shop for holiday gifts for family members.
The heartwarming event, also known as Shop with a Cop, pairs students with officers from the Whitehall Police Department, Coplay Borough Police, Lehigh County Sheriff's Office and Jefferson Health/Lehigh Valley Hospital Public Safety.
'Puts smiles on their faces — and mine'
Adrian Gonzalez, a fifth-grade student at Zephyr Elementary School, spent five minutes selecting the perfect gift for his mom — a pair of oh-so-soft lounge pants.
The kid’s smile was eclipsed by just one thing: The smile of Lehigh County Sheriff Deputy Tim Snyder.
"It truly is a community event that everyone should be proud of.”Michelle Khouri, registration coordinator for Whitehall-Coplay Schools
“It’s so good to do stuff like this for the kids,” said Snyder, decked out in a Santa hat, red bow tie and colorfully lighted Christmas necklace.
“This helps the kids so much. It puts smiles on their faces — and on mine.”
The school children are bused to Burlington and spend more than an hour shopping with law enforcement.
After shopping, the students were treated to lunch, gift-wrapping, cookie decorating, doughnuts and a visit with Santa at Fellowship Community.
“This program is based on financial instability, but we also have a ton of children who have lost parents or siblings and other things that have happened throughout the school year,” said Michelle Khouri, registration coordinator for the school district.
“It means a lot to have the entire community wrapping their arms around these kids. It truly is a community event that everyone should be proud of.”
'Puts smiles on their faces — and mine'
Six-year-old Isaiah Thomas had plenty of shopping to do, what with his mom and three sisters on his list.
Accompanied by Sgt. Shawn McHugh of the Whitehall Police, the youngster beamed pointing to the gifts he loaded into his cart.
“They’ll like these,” Isaiah said. “It’s stuff they need.”
"It shows the kids that they can look to the officers as mentors, good people there to protect them.”Whitehall Township Mayor Joseph J. Marx Jr
Whitehall Township Mayor Joseph J. Marx Jr. said the most important gift the children receive from the shopping event is the creating of a bond with law enforcement.
“Many times the only things kids see on social media or in the media are the bad things some police officers do,” Marx said.
“But here today, they can see the officers are human beings that truly care, that they play a meaningful role in society. It shows the kids that they can look to the officers as mentors, good people there to protect them.”
The weather was bumping up against freezing on Thursday morning outside the Burlington retail store.
Inside, cops and kids were shopping, chatting, smiling, bonding.
The feeling inside the building was considerably warmer than outside.
And had little to do with the store heat.
