By Adam Rollins, Record Staff Writer
Students at Rebecca Boone Elementary were delighted earlier this month by a chance to do some holiday shopping with local heroes.Members of the Warrenton fire and police departments, as well as Warren County dispatch and EMS members, visited the school for two days during the second week of December to help with an annual holiday shopping program.The first responders gave students advice on making purchases with “Boone Bucks” and helped wrap gifts for them to take home for their families.Principal Cheri Oliver said the holiday shopping program was established three years ago, along with the school’s trading post. It’s a way for students to be rewarded for good behavior and attendance, she said.The students “absolutely love it,” Oliver said. “The officers are there in uniform helping them shop and pick out the perfect gift.”Students earn Boone Bucks by having good attendance and positive behavior. They can spend the bucks year-round at the trading post to purchase basic necessities such as clothes and food.Oliver said the purpose of the trading post is to reinforce good behavior and provide access to basic necessities for students who might need them. Adding the holiday store in December is another way to reward students, she said.She said the trading post has been successful thanks to donations from the community.“We’re really grateful for support from parents and community volunteers,” Oliver said. “We wouldn’t be able to do it without them.”Fire Capt. Matt Dabbs said the department is happy to help with the holiday store.“We ask who they’re shopping for and try to help them spend their money wisely,” he said. “It’s a great program, encouraging good behavior and teaching kids how to manage money.”During the first day of the store this year, Dabbs said they noticed a shortage of certain types of gifts, especially stuff for dads. So he and several firefighters went to Dollar General and purchased $100 of gifts to donate to the store on the second day of shopping.Although being a firefighter can involve a lot of negative situations, Dabbs said one good part is working with kids at schools as part of community outreach programs.“They love it. They walk in and see their local heroes there to help . . . It’s great to see their faces.”Warrenton Police Chief Greg Houdyshell said the program is one example of important community outreach."We try to engage our citizens daily by encouraging our officers to make positive contacts throughout their shifts," Houdyshell said in an email. "We also instituted programs like the ride-along program to encourage people to come out and meet our officers and spend some time in a patrol car with them."Houdyshell said the police department's participation in Rebecca Boone's holiday store was spearheaded by Lt. Larry Ellard, who has started fundraising to purchase more "dad-related" gifts for children to choose from next year.
Police officers, firefighters, EMS responders and dispatchers from Warrenton and Warren County helped students at Rebecca Boone Elementary shop for gifts at the school's holiday store program during the second week or December. The holiday store is an annual event at the school. Submitted photo.
