Westmoreland Shop With A Cop adapts to pandemic, starts Monday

State police Trooper Stephen Limani laughed recalling a dozen years ago at the start of the Westmoreland County Shop With a Cop program when the only worry was raising the $50 for each of the 20 children planning to go Christmas shopping at the Walmart in Unity.

This year, Limani said he began getting calls several weeks ago from concerned school counselors and police officers in the region wondering whether the burgeoning holiday event, where hundreds of kids get a $150 voucher to go shopping at six area Walmarts, would go as planned during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Well, our Shop with a Cop is going ahead, but it will look a lot different than in the past and probably take a lot longer to keep everyone safe. And from the calls I received from so many police officers, I can tell you that they enjoy it as much as the children,” said Limani, who is assigned to the Greensburg barracks.

He reported his superiors gave him the go-ahead to proceed with the event if a plan could be developed in consultation with area medical professionals to “pull it off safely.”

“And I think the need is more important this year than ever because of the pandemic. We have about 500 kids signed up this year versus the approximate 300 we’ve served in each of the last three years,” Limani said.

This year, the events at Walmart stores will be spaced over six days instead of three. The first is Monday in Rostraver, followed by Tuesday in East Huntingdon and Wednesday in Unity. Then Dec. 21 in Hempfield, Dec. 22 in Delmont and Dec. 23 in North Huntingdon. Each of the events start at 9 a.m.

Unlike previous years when parents and guardians accompanied children into stores where they were paired with an officer to shop, Limani said parents will drive into a designated area where they will wait.

Children will wait in cars until an officer comes out to get them to go shopping. Limani said parents will stay in the car while their children shop.

Personnel from Excela Health will be on hand at each location to take temperatures and ask participants questions to help ensure they do not have the virus, Limani said.

If there is a question about someone’s health, the participant will receive gifts selected in the store by program organizers, he said.

“Also, if we believe a store has too many people … we’ll just wait until we believe is suitable to go in and shop,” Limani said. “Obviously, we will be wearing masks, practicing social distancing and using hand sanitizer, too.”

Fire House Subs in Greensburg has offered to make wrapped meals to feed the children during their waits.

“That is extremely generous,” Limani said.

Fundraising for this year’s event was altered in view of event cancellations caused by the pandemic. Shop with a Cop solicited $150 donations in return for a yard sign saying the owner is a contributor.

“We sold out 200 signs pretty quickly, including one donor who bought two signs saying she was a grandmother of two children we helped out a couple of years ago and telling us how much it meant to them. That is what makes this program special… helping out the young kids and seeing the smiles on their faces,” Limani said.

Although the signs are sold out, donations are still being accepted, Limani said. Donations may be made to Shop with a Cop, 100 N. Westmoreland Ave., Greensburg, PA 15601.