The holiday season is about giving — and the Lakewood Police Department did just that.

More than 100 middle and high school special needs students from Lakewood frolicked throughout the Target at Colorado Mills on Friday morning, grinning widely as Christmas music and decorations morphed the store into a holiday wonderland. 

The Lakewood Police Department — along with Colorado Mills, Target and private partners — held its third-annual “Heroes and Helpers” event, allowing each student to spend up to $100 on gifts throughout the store. 

Jesus “Moose” Chavez, the creator of the event and the Detective School Resource Officer for Alameda International High School, stood outside of the store, eagerly waiting for the students to arrive with a sparkling Christmas fedora fashioned on his head.

“It’s super important because today is the one day that these kids feel special … They get to choose whatever they want off the shelves,” Chavez said, noting that the children are often overlooked because people immediately think they have someone to help them, though sometimes that’s not the case.

“Their reaction is priceless. You see their smiles,” Chavez added. “They know that today is for them, and that just makes that makes it that much special.”

After the first busload of students arrived, they were partnered with officers and members of the Lakewood Police Department to move through the store, marking off items on their wish list.

After the shopping spree, the children then met Santa Claus in the Colorado Mills mall, wrapped their gifts and ate pizza.

“It’s awesome. You see the excitement. It’s priceless. It puts me in the holiday spirit,” Senior Agent Marc Mizanin said, while helping 12-year-old Roshon Bear Stops pick out a sled.

“It’s amazing. He gets to come and get what he needs and he’s always happy to come get outdoor stuff,” Bear Stops’ father, Mark Vigil, said.

Some of the children gravitated toward toys, some toward board games. Some stayed in the clothes, picking out new winter outfits. Regardless, all were elated.

“One thing that’s so beautiful about this event, that I didn’t think of when I created it, is that most of these kids don’t buy for themselves. They buy for family members and that’s the heartwarming thing about this event,” Chavez said.

“It’s such a blessing to be in this position. I tell me coworkers that there’s only a few days that I love to show up to work, and today is one of them,” Chavez joked. “Today’s one of those days that I know I’m impacting the community I serve.”