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By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

ROCHESTER — At least 60 people braved the cold temperatures Saturday morning, Nov. 23, in Rochester to raise money for kids.

The Fulton County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 143 had its fifth Trot With a Cop 5K then. Money raised is going for the FOP Lodge 143’s Shop With a Cop next month in which children may shop for Christmas presents at the Rochester Walmart along with officers.

The 5K Saturday, starting out from St. Joseph Catholic Church, was noncompetitive, with participants all getting medals as well as a hot bowl of soup afterward.

Fulton County Coroner Jeri Good, who volunteers with Trot With a Cop and Shop With a Cop, noted the event helps raise money “to serve the children of the community.”

“You don’t want any child to go hungry, and you don’t want any child to go without clothes. You want to make sure they have shoes and just a gift for Christmas,” said Shop With a Cop and Trot With a Cop Organizer Gail Karas. “Everybody needs to experience a nice Christmas I feel, so until we can’t do it anymore, we’ll continue to do it year after year.”

Karas’ father Dennis Price, a former Kewanna and Rochester police officer, started Shop With a Cop in the county in 1996. He noted all funds raised for Shop With a Cop stay in Fulton County to help area children.

To give for Shop With a Cop, people may call Karas at (574) 835-2992 or Kasey Hensley at (574) 767-6059 to pick up their donations. They may also send funds to FOP Lodge 143, P.O. Box 284, Rochester, IN 46975, making any checks payable to the lodge.