First Responders Take Local Kids Shopping For School

GREENFIELD, WI — Greenfield's police officers, firefighters and paramedics came together with a group of 50 local students to have lunch, make crafts and go back to school shopping over the weekend.

The event was held "with the simple criteria of just needing a happy start to the school year," Greenfield Fire-Rescue posted on Facebook. Families from Greenfield and Whitnall School District started out at The Ridge Community Church where they had lunch and made crafts with first responders, the post said.

The kids then toured police and fire vehicles parked outside. After the meet and greet and tours, each student had the chance to pair up with a police officer, firefighter or paramedic from Greenfield or Hales Corners. Each also recieved a $100 gift card for back-to-school shopping donated by the Walmart Supercenter in Greenfield.

One of the firefighter/paramedics who attended spoke to Patch about the experience and what it's all about.

"The kids are amazing," Greenfield Firefighter and Paramedic Samantha Jacobs told Patch. "We really enjoy getting to do this."

Jacobs, a firefighter and paramedic with the Greenfield Fire Department for two years, said the event was a great way to get out and engage with the community, especially after the pandemic has kept so many kids out of schools.

Firefighters took the opportunity to explain fire safety in between bites of lunch and picking out shoes. It's a topic many students typically learn about in school firsthand from professionals—a topic where in-school education has been limited because of the pandemic, Jacobs pointed out.

Jacobs said her favorite part of the event was how the community came together.

Four kids accompanied Jacobs to Walmart throughout the day. She helped them break down and calculate what they can buy with the gift card donated by Walmart, and helped them navigate through the store, she said. The students picked out their own clothes, shoes and other stuff that fit their style.

"When the first kids started arriving, we let them choose who they wanted to go with," Jacobs said. "We were interested to see they picked the police officers first before they picked the firefighters."

"We were joking that maybe if we (firefighters and paramedics) wore our bunker pants and our gear there, they may have picked us first," she added.

"Thanks to everyone who helped make this possible and we look forward to next year (hint)," Greenfield Fire-Rescue posted about the occasion.