Tama County Deputy/Jail Administrator Brian Randall, left, helps Dysart-Geneseo Elementary second-grader Eden Veiseth with her Christmas shopping list on Wednesday, Dec. 18, in Waterloo as part of the annual ‘Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement.’ Seven students from DG Elementary participated in the program this year which has been spearheaded since its founding eight years ago by Dysart Police Officer Jeremy Stenda (not pictured). PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

DYSART – Last Wednesday at the commencement of the school day, a trio of local law enforcement officers/deputies joined forces to bring the joy and wonder of the holidays to a group of Dysart-Geneseo Elementary students whose families, for a variety of reasons, needed a bit of community assistance this year.

Led by Dysart Police Officer Jeremy Stenda, the eighth annual ‘Shop with a Tama County Law Enforcement Officer’ was held on Wednesday, Dec. 18. As part of the event this year, seven DG students traveled to Waterloo along with Stenda, Tama County Sheriff’s Detective Trevor Killian, and Deputy/Jail Administrator Brian Randall to shop for Christmas presents for both their family members and themselves.

Stenda secured three different grants from Walmart this year totaling $2,000 to take the lower elementary students shopping which he combined with a $200 donation from Dysart’s Farmers Coop Telephone Company and a $400 donation made anonymously by a local resident.

This was the first year Brenda Gardner did not accompany the group — the longtime, beloved DG school secretary retired at the end of the 2023-24 school year. And while she was greatly missed by both law enforcement and the newspaper, in her place DG Principal Derek Weber stepped in along with special education teacher Emily Kline and special education associates Shiana Foster and Maribel Garcia. Kelli Knoop also provided assistance ahead of the event.

That evening, as the children exited the law enforcement vehicles and began excitedly walking into the store, second-grader Eden Veiseth adopted a no-nonsense approach to the task. Clutching her list tightly, Veiseth with help from Randall first sought items for her mother and brother before even attempting to pick out something for herself – a selfless act that belied her young age but was repeated by many of the students.

This year’s Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement adult helpers pictured on Wednesday, Dec. 18. in the Dysart Community Building including (l-r) Tama Co. Deputy/Jail Administrator Brian Randall, Tama Co. Detective Trevor Killian, Dysart-Geneseo Principal Derek Weber, DG special education teacher Emily Kline, special education associate Maribel Garcia, special education associate Shiana Foster, and Dysart Police Officer Jeremy Stenda. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“I was really impressed with the two [students] I shopped with,” Principal Weber told the newspaper following the event. “They were just as concerned about getting gifts for their families as they were for themselves. Kids are always going to be excited to get presents, but the fact that they wanted to give gifts to others shows the kind of morals their families instill in them and what we do at school as well!”

The shopping experience itself this year went off without a hitch, Officer Stenda said, quite possibly due to a combination of more adults on hand to assist and the children’s impressive preparedness.

As Stenda and Killian worked side-by-side at the self-checkout – expertly scanning everything from Bluey themed sweats to stuffed animals to cartons of goldfish crackers – the children waited as patiently as they could for their gifts, chatting away with law enforcement like they were hanging out with an old friend.

The brevity of the trip this year – less than an hour total inside the store – was not lost on Stenda.

“That was honestly probably record time.”

Tama County Detective Trevor Killian, right, helps DG Elementary first-grader Samuel ‘Sam’ Roberson Jr. try on a bike helmet while shopping in Walmart in Waterloo during the eighth annual Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement held on Dec. 18. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

When asked why he first started the local version of ‘Shop with a Cop’ eight years ago, Stenda said his purpose was twofold – to build positive relationships between youngsters and law enforcement, while also building up the local LE network.

“You build a different relationship with the deputies,” Stenda explained of the deputies he quite often works with every day some weeks.

“I’ve been here almost eight years – we go to Traer, we go to Clutier [on calls]. I’ve been to Gladbrook, I’ve been to Chelsea, I’ve been to Montour. I’ve been to basically everywhere with them. They use us because they have a lot of ground to cover in terms of square mileage. So everybody helps everybody.”

Stenda said a lot of credit for that good working relationship is owed to retiring Tama County Sheriff Dennis Kucera.

“We’ve always had a great working relationship, and I credit that to Dennis because when Joe Hols got hired as [Dysart Police Chief] and then Joe hired me and hired [Officer] Ray [Brady], we kept a very good relationship [going]. We’re all on the same team. I think that has a lot to do with Dennis. He knows there’s a benefit to both sides. … And it will be the same with [Tama County Sheriff-elect] Casey [Schmidt].”

DG Elementary second-grader Eden Veiseth, right, points to a game she hopes to get for her brother while Tama County Deputy/Jail Administrator Brian Randall assists last Wednesday at Walmart in Waterloo. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

After returning to the Dysart Community Building following the shopping trip last Wednesday, all seven of the students were famished (shopping is hard work!) and the locally-catered supper provided by LB’s Pizza (Kirk Weaver and Bickkam Cam), Harper’s Public House (Chad and Jenna Scott), and KE Mercantile (Kathy Bonewitz and Rene Ternus) was well-received by both the children and DG staff members.

For his part, Principal Weber gave the entire ‘Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement’ experience glowing reviews.

“[T]his is the first year I’ve attended and it far exceeded my expectations,” Weber said. “The students loved the idea of getting to shop for Christmas presents for themselves and their family, but the fact they got to do it with law enforcement and ride in their vehicles was icing on the cake.”

“Law enforcement was so kind and attentive to our students during their shopping experience. It’s such a great opportunity for them to further their connections in our community. Our staff that attended were also a major help. They kept students on track and on budget while monitoring them. The trip wouldn’t be possible without everyone who helped.”

Tama County Detective Trevor Killian, right, shops with DG Elementary first-grader Kenzlie Kraklio at Walmart in Waterloo on Dec. 18 as part of the eighth annual Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement. Detective Killian has been part of the experience almost since the beginning. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

DG Elementary first-grader Samuel ‘Sam’ Roberson Jr. motions excitedly to his new bike while telling Principal Derek Weber, left, about his shopping experience as part of the eighth annual Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement held before Christmas on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at Walmart in Waterloo. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Dysart-Geneseo Elementary special education associate Maribel Garcia, center, presents a dinosaur toy to first-grader Wyatt Thomas, second from left, that he had been looking at while shopping for toys in Walmart in Waterloo as part of this year’s Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement. Also pictured, special education teacher Emily Kline, back right, and special education associate Shiana Foster, left. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Dysart Police Officer Jeremy Stenda, left, and Tama County Sheriff’s Detective Trevor Killian work the self-checkout at Walmart in Waterloo on Wednesday, Dec. 18, during the eighth annual Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement. Once upon a time back in high school, Officer Stenda enjoyed a highly successful career as a Hy-Vee checker, he told the newspaper. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

DG Elementary kindergartener Cole Thomas checks out a Godzilla toy he picked out for himself while seated in a shopping cart at Walmart in Waterloo on Dec. 18, during the eighth annual Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement event. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Dysart-Geneseo Elementary second-grader Eden Veiseth, left, and her shopping buddy Tama County Deputy/Jail Administrator Brian Randall take a moment to chill and chat as they wait for Veiseth’s fellow students to finish checking out their purchases during the Dec. 18 ‘Shop with Tama County Law Enforcement’ event in Waterloo. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER