CopShop put on hold due to COVID-19 concerns

The annual CopShop Christmas charity event has been cancelled for 2020.

It would have been the sixth anniversary of the event, where officers from the Regina Police Service take kids in need for a Christmas shopping spree.

However, with the COVID-19 situation as it is, organizers decided to err on the side of caution and cancel.

Lance Dudar is a coordinator with The Regina Intersectional Partnership (TRiP), the organization that works with police to put on the event every year.

“There was a lot of stuff that went into the decision. The COVID numbers and what has been going on in our province recently, I think, was ultimately the deciding factor,” he explained.

“Everybody felt the responsible thing to do, the safe thing to do was to postpone or cancel CopShop in its format for this year.”

In past years, 20 kids would be paired up with 10 officers, who would all then go shopping at the Cornwall Centre together.

“It did make for a fairly large gathering of people by the time you got our staff there, volunteers there to wrap gifts and Cornwall Centre staff,” he said.

While Dudar thinks it was the safe and responsible decision to make, it’s still difficult for him.

“The tough part is, I think, that though adults will understand (why it was cancelled), kids who may have been recipients, they may not understand as well,” he said.

All hope is not lost for a CopShop in the coming months. Dudar said they will try to organize one based on the COVID situation. If it improves, they may be able to hold CopShop in the spring. However, nothing is yet planned, as it will largely depend on case numbers and provincial restrictions.

There is a silver lining, as well.

Mike Wiens, a Great Canadian Oil Change franchisee, has supported CopShop in past years, and he decided to chip in this year as well.

Wiens will buy 10 gift cards worth $200 for children that would have been in the program, so they can buy warm clothes or something fun for Christmas.

“We’re incredibly grateful for his generosity. It’s unfortunate that the whole thing had to be washed, but at least some of the kids will get some of what they need,” Dudar said.

TRiP is also accepting cash donations to put together food hampers for families in need.