Toys, Joy and Heroes – Oakland County Sheriff’s Office school liaison officer Deputy Joe Tolan crosses lightsabers with Mason during Shop with a Hero on Wednesday at Meijer. Oakland County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Oxford firefighters and Oxford Police Department officers teamed up for the annual event to take area kids shopping, putting smiles on faces and gifts under the tree this Christmas. See page 3 for the story. Photo by Jim Newell

‘Because every child deserves a Christmas’

By Jim Newell
Review Editor
OXFORD TWP. – There were children and toys and a lot of joy for the boys and girls who were given the promise of a wonderful Christmas during the Shop with a Hero event in Oxford on Wednesday.
And while the heroes weren’t clad in a red and white outfit, or flowing capes, they had looked into the eyes the local youths and promised that, if only for one night, the kids would be the center of their worlds.
Deputies from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Oxford Township Substation, the Oxford Police Department and the Oxford Fire Department volunteered their time and took up the mantle of Chris Kringle to bring holiday light into the lives of area children in need of a little Christmas spirit.
Every year, Meijer in Oxford hosts Shop with a Hero, donating funds to the cause. Individual police and fire departments also raise funds, with each department giving around 10-15 kids a $100-$150 shopping spree to put gifts under the Christmas tree. Because every child deserves a Christmas.
While the kids have $150 to buy gifts for themselves to place under the Christmas tree, nearly all of them asked how much they can spend on their siblings and parents.
Oxford firefighters had 18 children they took shopping, with around 30 people, including the firefighters and Oxford High School EMT students, teaming up to make the night special for the kids.
“They loved it, they had a great time doing it. It’s my third year since I’ve been here. It’s an eye-opener being able to help somebody,” said Oxford Fire Chief Matthew Majestic. “They (the firefighters) look forward to it. This is one of the things they really get into. Being able to help a kid, just even for a few minutes and have them forget about some of the stuff lives and saying ‘don’t worry about the price tag, just go’ is great.”
Majestic took a young boy shopping and noted that the boy didn’t just look for gifts for himself.
“He wanted to make sure that he got something for his mom, his brother, for dad, for their dogs. It’s great to see that the kids think about others. That’s what makes it fun,” Majestic said. “I had to tell him that it’s okay for him to shop for himself too.”
Det. Sgt. Rick Meza from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Oxford Township substation has been at Shop with a Hero for two years in Oxford but has participated in the event for many more years throughout his career. Meza says the deputies in the Oxford Township substation are always excited for Shop with a Hero.
“They love it. They look forward to it every year. It’s a way for them to give back to the community and help out,” said Meza, adding that the reactions from the kids when they learn they get to shop with a police officer are priceless. “The looks on their faces when they see that a police officer is there to help them out, to be there to support them is great. Just all the smiles on their faces.”
Shop with a Hero is 100% volunteer event and extra funds raised by firefighters and police officers go toward helping families in the community throughout the year. If anyone would like to donate to Shop with a Hero – or their local police and fire departments’ ongoing efforts to assist the community –contact those departments directly.