By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
Firefighters and deputies converged in Oxford on Dec. 14, for the annual ‘Shop with a Hero’ at the Meijer, 900 Lapeer Road.
Each child was provided a dinner at Meijer, then received a $150 gift card to spend on their own Christmas gifts. The gift cards, provided by Meijer, are funded through each organization, including Meijer, and this year seven Brandon area children shopped with their local heroes. They also took home a frozen meal for their family.
The children are identified through different places, such as St. Anne Church or the local elementary schools. Parents dropped their children off, then law enforcement and firefighters walk through the store selecting Christmas gifts of their choice.
Many of the little shoppers chose presents for other family members.
“My little boy was super cool,” said deputy Richard Hubble, Oakland County Sheriff deputy.

Hubble shopped with one of three children who were sponsored for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Brandon substation. “He wanted Nerf guns. He bought two Nerf guns, one for him and one for a family member to play with him.”
Of the three children from the police station, two of them were siblings. Hubble shopped with an 8-year-old boy and deputy Sonja Overall shopped with his sister, who was also celebrating her 8th birthday.
“They were both real thankful,” he said.
In addition to the Nerf guns, the boy chose extra darts for them, a helmet with a shark fin and bath bombs as a gift for someone else.
“He could have spent it all on himself, but he got something for someone he looked up to,” said Hubble. “Made me really proud of him for sharing.”
Since this was Hubble’s first year participating in Shop with a Hero he really enjoyed the event.
“He was generally just a good boy,” he said. “Our kids were awesome.”
The Brandon Fire Department also participated with four children of their own to shop with, identified through St. Anne Catholic Church, and one family in particular stood out to them this year. Out of the three children, two of them were in wheelchairs.
“My little girl was five,” said Paul Vassall, firefighter . “I had a good time.”
She had plenty of interests says Vassall. She also moved around so quick he could hardly keep up while they were shopping. She selected Pokemon toys and Legos for her Christmas gifts.
The two children had surgeries scheduled just before the holidays, but they were postponed until January.
The fire department has been participating in Shop with a Hero for ten years, and Vassall has done it every year.
“It’s very rewarding,” he said. “Just seeing the smiles on the kid’s faces. You really know it’s appreciated.”