GREENWOOD, Ind. — Hundreds of kids shopped for gifts alongside law enforcement officers at the annual Trooper Bartram Memorial Foundation’s Christmas for Kids event on Saturday.
Nearly 200 children and their families joined law enforcement officers from across central Indiana at Walmart on Emerson Road in Greenwood.
The children were paired up with officers who helped them pick out toys, clothes and other items for Christmas.
The event is a way for law enforcement to give back to their community while honoring fallen Trooper Pat Bartram.
Trooper Bartram was killed in a car accident in 1998.
The event is something he enjoyed being a part of and his family wanted to carry on the tradition in his honor.
Master Trooper with the Indiana State Police, Patrick Etter, says this program honors Bartram and other fallen officers.
It’s also a way to build relationships with community members.
Etter has been organizing programs like this for more than 20 years, he says days like these can have a lifelong impact on a child.
“A lot of these kids will grow up and remember this the rest of their lives," Etter said. "We’ve had some of them from various programs come back and do our internships with the state police, or go to our kids camps. So maybe we’ll make them into future police officers."
For more information on the Trooper Bartram Memorial Foundation visit bartrammemorial.com
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