By Kevin Buey
Deming Headlight
LUNA COUNTY, N.M. — A Luna County Sheriff’s deputy who’s been with the department just a year is among the many anticipating Saturday’s Shop With a Cop program at Deming’s Kmart, 1205 E. Pine St.
Israel Saenz, 27, will be participating in the program for the second time.
The 13-year-old program matches youngsters from low-income families with members of law enforcement and other emergency service agencies for a shopping spree at Kmart.
More than $11,000 has been raised through donations from local businesses and Luna County residents for this year’s program, which begins with Santa’s arrival at about 8 a.m. in the Kmart parking lot. Santa will ride a Deming Fire Department truck to the parking lot, distribute candy and lead children selected by their respective schools into Kmart.
The students will be registered, each handed a $25 shopping card and be paired with a deputy, officer, agent or other participant and roam store aisles to select purchases.
Sheriff’s Lt. Allen Carter said Tuesday 350 children will be involved and remaining money will be used to buy presents for youngsters at Rainbow Head Start, Deming Head Start and My Little School, and either coupons for food baskets or turkeys and hams distributed to needy families.
“We annually have 350 to 400 kids shop,” Carter said as the program organizing committee met at the LCSO. “We couldn’t do this without the community’s support and the excellent staff we have working on this each year.
LCSO deputies and Reserve Unit deputies, Deming Police officers, U.S. Border Patrol agents, New Mexico State Police officers and firefighters from Deming, Florida Mountain, Cooke’s Peak, Sunshine and Hachita are taking part. Past years have also seen agents from the Border Operation Task Force and Immigration and Customs Enforcement participate.
Deming Public Schools, which provides transportation, as needed, and helps with registration, plus wives, husbands, children and girlfriends and boyfriends of shopping chaperones also volunteer time.
Breakfast for the volunteers is at 7 a.m., at Kmart.
It makes for a long-but-busy morning, but nary a complaint is heard.
“It’s something just for us to give to the children,” says Saenz, a Deming High School graduate who worked for the city, then the county, before hired by the LCSO. He completed certification at the State Police Academy in Santa Fe.
“It’s a chance for the kids to go shop for themselves.
“I just believe we’re more role models to the kids. We love doing this for the kids. I took part in this last year. I enjoyed seeing the kids... seeing them happy.
“Some kids didn’t buy for themselves. They shopped for siblings. That was heartening.”
Saenz is the son of Israel Saenz Sr., who works for Southwest Concrete and Paving, and Graciela Granillo, who works at Grand Motor Inn. He has two sisters, Veronica and Adrianna, and a brother, Jose.
“My wife really likes the program,” he says of Jessica Saenz.
“I’m glad they have Shop With a Cop. Back when I was a kid, I don’t remember any such thing.”
Copyright 2008 Deming Headlight