OCSO Orion Twp. Substation accepting Shop with a Hero donations

By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
jnewell@mihomepaper.com
ORION TWP. — The holiday season is fast approaching and deputies at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office want to ensure some children in the Orion area aren’t left out in the cold this Christmas.
The Orion Township Substation deputies are once again participating in the Shop with a Hero program, providing area kids who may not otherwise have a festive holiday with a shopping spree at Meijer to buy toys, clothes, gifts for family members and other items, said Sgt. Darrin Zehnpfenning.
But the deputies need a little help from the community – the department doesn’t like to turn away a child who qualifies for Shop with a Hero, and resources are limited. Shop with a Hero typically takes place in the first or second week of December. Last year, the deputies helped 15 kids have a merrier Christmas.
“While we don’t have a confirmed date for this year’s event just yet, it will take place at Meijer as usual. We have a meeting scheduled next week to finalize the date,” Zehnpfenning said.
Gift card donations of $25 or $50 are preferred but any amount helps out. Children usually receive $100 to $150, depending on the number of children who take part in Shop with a Hero.
The deputies give kids gift cards to shop for themselves and family members, and shop alongside the kids as they select items, giving them support throughout the evening.
Any donations that individuals, families, community groups and businesses make will not sit in the bottom of a stocking.
There are usually cost overruns during Shop with a Hero, and deputies will disburse extra gift cards to other area families throughout the season, Zehnpfenning said.