KIMBALL – Kimball's first responders participated in the annual Holiday Heroes event Saturday morning by taking over 20 elementary kids holiday shopping for their families and friends. 

The Kimball Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary group organizes the event as a way to provide a day of shopping, excitement and holiday cheer for the less fortunate kids of Kimball. 

Formerly known as Shop with a Cop, the event has since changed to Holiday Heroes to include all the local first responders. 

“We use all of our heroes here in town,” said former organizer Erin Douglas. “The importance is we get the kids out; we get them familiar with these responders so in the event they would have an emergency, they feel comfortable.” 

Members of the Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, EMS, Fire Department, as well as the Kimball Red Knights Motorcycle group provided the families with breakfast at the Fire Hall, took the kids shopping, then helped wrap the gifts afterward. 

EMT Alicia Downey said, “This is a good way for us to get out there and let them know that we are not as scary as we can seem because usually, we are there when it’s a scary moment in their life, so it’s nice to be on the fun side of things. I had a younger Pre-K kid, and he was terrified in the beginning and by the end of it he was having a great time. We played with sirens and turned on the lights in the ambulance, but that’s what today is about is giving them something fun to do.” 

Douglas said they saw a need to help the less fortunate families in town at Christmas time. 

“We wanted to give their kids that opportunity to go buy presents for their friends and family or even themselves if it wasn’t an option for their parents,” she said.  

Chelsea Autrey of the auxiliary group coordinates with Jamie Murdoch – who teaches at Mary Lynch Elementary – to choose 20-25 kids to participate in the event each year. 

Murdoch focuses on the financial needs of the kids’ families, prioritizing those who come from homes with the greatest financial need. She also looks for students who showcase positive behavior and use this as an opportunity to reward them.

Cece Barker, whose daughter was selected to go shopping, said: “There are so many kids in this town that don't get that opportunity so the fact that the community can come together and put it together for them is super special. Christmas is big for us; we’ve had a lot of people lost over the last few years, so it makes it easier to have a community who will come together for us.” 

The event also included a raffle of additional toys and bikes donated by the Red Knights.