‘Shop With a Cop’ Takes a Detour

The latest installment of the Rotary Club of Pasadena’s popular “Shop With a Cop” program took a detour Wednesday as police officers descended upon two locations of the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club to share activities and deliver gift cards.

As Pasadena Boys and Girls Club CEO Lisa Cavelier explained, the yearly event is part of a longtime partnership between the club and the Rotary Club, as well as the local Target stores.

Twice each year, for more than five years, Rotary has organized 20 children and police officers shopping together at a local Target for back-to-school supplies and holiday gifts, paid for by donated gift cards.

This year the Target stores were unable to host groups of children and police officers due to COVID precautions, Cavelier explained, so police officers brought the ‘store to the club.’

“Since we were unable to accompany the children to the stores this year,” said Pasadena Police Lieutenant William Grisafe, “We’ve brought officers here to the club to interact with the kids, and give them a good positive feeling about the police.”

As the children separated into groups, officers joined them for a computer “Jeopardy” contest and a rousing “rock-paper-scissors” chase game in the gymnasium.

Following the afternoon play, the specially selected club members were given Target gift cards to shop in the stores.

The Pasadena Rotary is the oldest and most active service club in the Pasadena community, with over 200 members and 35 committees. It meets weekly. Since 1937, the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena has enriched the lives of young people in our community, enabling them to reach their full potential as productive, caring, healthy, and responsible citizens.

Serving more than 1,900 youth, ages 6–18 annually, Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena focuses on academic success, healthy lifestyle, good character and leadership. The Club experience fills the gap between school and home–year-round–providing a welcoming, safe and positive environment in which kids and teens have fun, participate in life-changing programs, make friends and find encouragement with caring adults.

The Club operates two locations in Pasadena: Slavik Branch on E. Del Mar Blvd., and Mackenzie-Scott Branch on N. Fair Oaks Avenue. For more visit https://www.bgcpasadena.org/.