18th Holiday with a Hero shopping spree helps Carson City kids celebrate Christmas in style
On Wednesday, the 18th annual Holiday with a Hero shopping spree took place at North Carson City's Walmart, serving 160 children throughout the school district.
Each K-8 student is provided with a gift card for $100 at the store so that their hero (a volunteer first responder from a variety of careers) can assist them in their shopping spree.
This year, each child was also given a card on a lanyard detailing their wants, such as toys, Pokemon cards, dolls, etc., as well as their needs, like a winter coat or new shoes.
Students who qualify for the shopping spree in either Pre-K or high school will be provided with gift cards as well, so they can shop on their own time.
Around 25 different divisions of first responders, law enforcement and military personnel signed up to volunteer their time during Holiday with a Hero, from Carson City Sheriff's Office, to the National Guard, FBI, Coast Guard, Bureau of Land Management, and many more.
"We couldn't do this event without all of these organizations," said Holiday with a Hero's Organizer Daniel Gonzales. "This program has grown outside our limits, and as it grew, we saw how important these partnerships are."
Gonzales, the Carson City Sheriff's Office Assistant Sheriff, has often said that for many of the children who participate in Holiday with a Hero, they have already interacted with members of law enforcement — often on their "worst day."
By providing a chance to engage with first responders in a positive way, such as through Holiday with a Hero and other community events, it allows a bridge to be built and to help regain trust of law enforcement.
Now that the program is in its 19th year, the benefits have begun to come full circle, said Gonzales.
"Some of the kids who once shopped with us have grown up and our volunteering their time here as adults," Gonzales said. "They're wrapping presents, or some of them have joined the military or are first responders themselves, and they're able to come full circle with the program."
Holiday with a Hero has also begun a scholarship program, and this year, a golf tournament was held with all proceeds going towards the scholarship fund.
"We wouldn't be able to do this without the generosity of the community," Gonzales said. "If we don't have donations coming in, we can't even get to today. And if we don't have volunteers, we can't get to the next step. We have so many citizens and organizations that believe in our program who have stepped up to support us."
To learn more about Carson City's Holiday with a Hero, please visit https://www.holidaywithahero.com/