Welcome Danielle Schmidtman

No Shave November

Submitted by: Nicole Showers

CAC Case Manager

As the Fall season comes to an end and Winter is in full effect, Christmas is often the one thing that is on a child's mind. There can be much anticipation about what presents are going to be under the tree and going back to school after Winter break and sharing the excitement of new toys and gadgets with their friends. One aspect of Christmas that some children may miss out on is being able to go out and buy presents for their loved ones that are picked out individually by them. Child Advocacy and the MI State Police have teamed up for Shop with a Hero, a Christmas Outreach event, allowing children ages five to eleven to get paired with a hero for a morning of shopping for themselves and their loved ones. The heroes that volunteer their time to shop with the children are members of Law Enforcement, Fire and Rescue, Soldiers, and MI Dept. of Corrections Officers.

This will be the sixth year for the Shop with a Hero event put on by Child Advocacy and MI State Police, but there is something new this year; Law Enforcement Officers from Alma Police Department and St. Louis Police Department decided to take a hunting tradition and use it to benefit Child Advocacy's Shop with a Hero Christmas Outreach event. No shave November is an old tradition that many hunters take part in that involves them not shaving their facial hair for the month of November. Officers from the Alma and St. Louis Police Departments have partnered together and pledged a donation of $5 for every week that they don't shave for the entire month of November.

Chief Ramereiz of the St. Louis Police Department stated, "This is the 2nd year that the St. Louis Police Department has participated in the No Shave November event.  Each officer involved was required to pay $5 for each week of November ($25 for the month) that they did not want to shave.  All money raised last year was donated to cancer research on behalf of our previous Police Chiefs Howard Teed and Walter Smith.  Both passed away from cancer.  This year the St. Louis Police Department again participated and wanted to partner with another agency to raise money for a local event.  The Alma PD was asked and accepted.  Both agencies are big supporters of the Shop with a Hero event and that is why we have decided to donate the money we raise to the Shop with a Hero event."

Mark Williams, the Director of Alma Department of Public Safety and Child Advocacy Board Member, stated that he was contacted by Chief Ramereiz in regard to doing the No Shave November event and that is when seven officers from the Alma Police Department put down their razors and joined in on the fun. Director Williams spoke on all of the support that is given to the Shop with a Hero event, "The Alma Department of Public Safety is a very big supporter of Child Advocacy and looks forward to working collaboratively whenever possible to raise money to support all the Child Advocacy services provided to our community.  Although the Alma Fire Department did not participate in the "No Shave November" due to the inability to secure a good seal with the face mask with facial hair, they will be assisting at the Shop with a Hero event and have fire trucks on scene at both locations."

The staff at Child Advocacy appreciates the support that is continuously shown by all community partners.