SPRINGVILLE — It’s zero-dark-thirty in a sleepy Springville on Dec. 9. Walmart is open for the early birds, night-owls and insomniacs. A police car arrives, then a couple, a dozen – they’re flocking in and filling the lot, eventually 150 of them.
A crowd gathers, names are checked and children are paired to a police officer or sheriff’s deputy for the annual Utah County “Shop With a Cop.”
As the children “report” to their vehicles, they begin to play with some of the knobs and switches in the cars and Springville wakens to a 150 sirens, klaxons and loudspeakers. Then, one by one, they head out, driving through the Christmas lights display at the fairgrounds, lit specially in the wee, small hours for them.
As they leave, the Knights of Columbus from the Fr. Escalante Assembly spring into action (or as much as they can muster at 6:30 a.m.) to set up their Coats for Kids distribution station just outside Santa’s comfy chair.
The children and escorts have had breakfast at the high school cafeteria and return to Walmart to the business at hand – ensuring that these 150 families have a merrier Christmas. The Knights ensure that each child has a warm coat. The ladies of San Andres Parish have been knitting for the last year to ensure that each child has a stocking cap and a scarf. Walmart management ensures that any children whose size is not accommodated by the Knights’ inventory are taken to the children’s department and fitted.
When all is done and cleared away, the Knights retire to breakfast for an after-action session with feedback on how to do it better next year, and lots of coffee.
Courtesy of the Knights of Columbus
Stay Connected With Us