December 05, 2011

Media Advisory -- Shop with a Cop

Making the holidays happier for some area families, The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will present $100 Kohl’s gift cards to 10 children of University students during a special Shop with a Cop event from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Campus police will pick the children up and take them to Kohl’s and help them use the gift cards to pick out and purchase gifts for their family members.  Then, the officers will transport the youngsters back to the Student Center’s Ballroom D, where PRSSA members will help wrap the gifts.  Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover the event at the Student Center, which begins at 6 p.m.

Santa will attend the wrap-up party and the children and their families will also enjoy crafts, entertainment and refreshments.

Media are welcome to come to the ballroom any time during the evening with the most opportune times for good stories, film and photos likely during the meet-and-greet from 6 to 6:30 p.m. when officers, children, families and PRSSA members are on hand, or after about 7:30 p.m. when children return from shopping.  Kohl’s prefers not to have media inside the store, if possible.

PRSSA is a registered student organization at SIU Carbondale including about 50-55 students with an interest in public relations.  The group created the event to promote campus unity and provide holiday cheer for participating Saluki families.  They funded the project with $500 in donations and their own contributions along with a $500 grant from Kohl’s.

For more information, contact John Schumacher, president of PRSSA, at johnschu@siu.edu or 847/338-1614.