Toy shopping with Baker County deputies

Baker County Sheriff's Office event helps make Christmas brighter

MACCLENNY, Fla. – The Baker County Sheriff's Office helped make Christmas a lot brighter for local children Thursday night.

The Sheriff's Office had their 7th annual Shop with a Deputy event at the Walmart in MacClenny.

Forty-five deserving kids were paired with a deputy and got to fill their shopping buggies with $150 worth of goodies. The popular items for boys were Nerf guns and for girls, Barbie dolls.

"It's like so much help. It's a blessing because I was worried what I was going to do and this has made it easier, so I'm happy," said mother of four, Kristen Carter.

Carter said being a mother of four is tough during the holidays, but she said the Baker County Sheriff's annual Shop with a Deputy really helped her out.

"This day and time with prices and things, and how they are, it makes a lot of sense for them to do something like this and it means a lot to me," Carter said.

Carter's daughter, Brokelyn, was selected by her teacher to participate in the event. Sheriff Joey Dobson couldn't be more proud of this event.

"Most of the time we deal with things sometimes tragic, arresting people and all that, but this is an opportunity for deputies to see the faces of kids and know they're doing something great for the kids," Dobson said.

Brokelyn got what she wanted: a bike and Barbie dolls.

"Oh, she's been excited all week. She couldn't wait," Carter said.