 For the third year in a row, the Bemidji Police Department and other local groups helped sign a clause out by taking more than two dozen kids on a Christmas shopping spree. I'm sure Elmore tells us about heroes and helpers. 100 bucks, you get to spend it on you or whoever you want. Santa got a little help once again this year, thanks to the Bemidji Police Department's annual heroes and helpers event. I had so much fun because I got stuff for my brother. And you saw? And myself. This year, 26 kids got to spend $100 on Christmas gifts from Target. A group of 31st responders plus 30 volunteers from the Bemidji Lions Club and the Bemidji's Eagles Club acted as the kids personal team of elves by keeping track of the overall total and providing gift advice. It is essentially shop with a cop but modified because we have more than cops just here to be our heroes. We have fire department personnel, state patrol, ambulance service, police officers, deputies. During the shopping spree, the kids are given the opportunity to bond with their heroes and their helpers. Over the past three years, the event has become a favorite amongst the community and the police department. To see the smile on kids faces when you tell them they get $100 to spend is pretty cool. Oftentimes, they spend money on themselves or their family. We don't dictate who they spend their money on. After the shopping spree, the presents are wrapped by volunteers and the kids get their picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus. They leave the store with a giant red bag and a new friday. She was looking forward to doing this. She's been telling everybody that she's going shopping with one of the heroes here in Bemidji. Reporting from Bemidji, Sheryl Moore, Lakeland News. 15 different organizations played a part in heroes and helpers this year. Target also covered the tax on all the gifts. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.