Sanilac County once again witnessed the incredible power of community on the evening of December 9, 2025, as local first responders, schools, and volunteers came together for the annual Shop With a Hero event.
Despite challenging weather conditions and the possibility of early-morning emergency callouts, the turnout from our community “Heroes” was outstanding.
This year, 21 children participated, and 101 individuals were directly served through the program. Since its inception, the Shop With a Hero program has now supported 341 families, impacting a total of 1,530 people across our community.
Families are selected through the DHS Holiday Wish Program, ensuring assistance reaches those who need it most. Thanks to generous donations from individual donors and local businesses, each family received a $150 essentials tote, which included:
A complete holiday meal featuring a ham, potatoes, green bean casserole ingredients, corn, beans, cheese and crackers, butter, biscuits, pie, whipped cream, pancake mix, and syrup
Household essentials including toilet paper, paper towels, laundry soap, dryer sheets, hand soap, dish soap, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and Q-tips
Pizza Hut generously donated pizza and breadsticks, while Walmart provided drinks, cookies, and crafts, helping make the evening extra special for all involved.
The following agencies proudly volunteered as Heroes during this year’s event:
- Applegate Fire Department
- Aspire EMS
- Brown City Fire Department
- Carsonville Fire Department
- Croswell EMS
- Croswell Police Department
- Marlette Police Department
- Michigan State Police
- Moore Township Fire Department
- Peck Police Department
- Sandusky Police Department
- Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office
- Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office Posse
The following organizations volunteered their time to wrap gifts and assist with event setup and preparation:
- Applegate Fire Department
- Aspire Rural Health
- Drug Task Force
- Marlette High School
- Sandusky High School
- Sanilac County Central Dispatch
- Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office
Special recognition and sincere appreciation go to Executive Assistant Amanda Wojcik, who coordinates and organizes the Shop With a Hero program each year. Her dedication, attention to detail, and compassion for families in need continue to drive the success of this event year after year.
Discussions are already underway regarding potential fundraisers later this year to help continue expanding this meaningful program.
On behalf of the Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office, thank you to every agency, business, volunteer, and donor who helped make the 2025 Shop With a Hero event such a tremendous success. Together, we once again showed what it truly means to be a community.
