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GRANITE CITY - The Granite City Police Department and Granite City Fire Department, along with Pontoon Beach Police and Madison City Police, are well-known for their year-round community involvement. Throughout the year, the different departments also raise funds for the Annual Shop With A Hero Program at Christmas time.
Once again Granite City Police Department's Annual Shop With A Hero Program was an extraordinary success. In 2023, 27 Granite City area youth were either provided gifts or taken shopping.
Lt. Jeremy Hunter of the Granite City Police is the coordinator of the annual program.
"We have helped 18-25 kids each year since its inception of the event in 2017," he said. "Each child received a $250 gift card to Walmart to spend as they saw fit. We also changed the name of the event this year to Shop with A Hero because the Granite City Fire Department wanted to get involved. Madison City Police and the Pontoon Beach Police also participate, however they sponsor their own children. We just all came together this year in one large event."
This year’s event was held in December at the Granite City Township building located at 2060 Delmar in Granite City.
The officers and children went to Walmart on the shopping excursion then returned for a box of food and Pizza World gift cards (Pizza World donates these).
The box of food had breakfast and dinner items for the families to prepare on Christmas Day.
"For the officers involved, it’s the best day of the year," Lt. Hunter said.
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