Alpharetta Rotary Club Donates $1,000 To Shop With A Cop Program

ALPHARETTA, GA -- The Rotary Club of Alpharetta donated $1,000 to the Shop with a Cop program, an initiative sponsored by the city's Police Athletic League (PAL).

PAL volunteers works with “at risk” youth age 8 to 18, providing many valuable programs throughout the year.

Examples of their initiatives include: after-school, tutoring, music, boxing and fitness, summer camp, mentoring, leadership, literacy, basketball, soccer, fundraising events and the annual Shop with a Cop.

Shop with a Cop, held this year on Tuesday, Dec. 13, provides each youth participant $100 to spend on family, friends and themselves for the holiday season and is funded by donations from the community.

The 100 kids participating were escorted individually throughout Wal-Mart on Windward Parkway with a policeman or fireman who helped them with advice and kept up with how much they spent so that they spent all $100 each.

"Participating in the excitement that comes from the children while shopping is a priceless experience," said Jim Paine, PAL board member. "Knowing that you have made a big difference in their holiday is incredibly rewarding to all who volunteer to help."

Alpharetta Rotary Club members love helping the community in a variety of ways and "this was just one good deed that happens around the Christmas holidays," the club added.

“Alpharetta Rotarians have a spirit of giving throughout the year, but especially during the holidays," Jason Binder, president of Alpharetta Rotary, said. "They quickly see the need to help families and children feel good about Christmas, so they offer to not only make sure the children receive gifts, but to support the children so they can buy gifts for their loved ones too."

Pictured from left: Alpharetta Rotary President Jason Binder, Alpharetta PAL Board member Jim Paine, Officer Phillip Richey, Executive Director of PAL Veronica Crew. Credit: Rotary Club of Alpharetta