The Ronnie McDowell Children’s Christmas shopping trip returned to Portland this year after an absence due to the COVID pandemic.
On Wednesday, Dec. 14, 34 children from Portland schools were picked up after school by three buses donated by All Access Coach in Gallatin and McDowell’s bus.
The drivers drove the buses to the Portland Public Safety Building, where the volunteers had assembled. The buses were given a police escort to Walmart in Franklin, Ky., with several police cars either leading or following the buses. The children were given $200 to shop for Christmas gifts for themselves and family members. The children were assisted by the volunteers and police officers as they shopped.
“Each child had a volunteer to assist with the shopping. The police officers also helped the children,” said Jo Ann Gore, McDowell’s assistant. “Check out was in the garden center, and it went smoothly. Despite the rain, it went well.”
After the shopping was completed, the children returned to the CashSaver parking lot where their parents were waiting. Each family was given a pizza to enjoy when they got home.
McDowell has been doing the Christmas shopping caravan for 45 years, and does it to see that the children have gifts for Christmas.
“When I was six years old in 1956 in first grade, I can’t imagine what it would have meant to me being a family of 11 to have a big bus pull up and take me shopping,” McDowell said. “That’s why I love taking kids that need some help, and I love doing it.”
McDowell recalled when he first began doing the shopping trips, each child got $50. Now with the cost of things going up, the children are given $200 to shop. He was pleased to see that many of the children bought gifts for their siblings and parents.
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