PUUNENE — With police officers delivering gifts and greetings along the way, there was no shortage of Christmas spirit as children in need picked up early presents during a drive-thru event at Pu’unene Shopping Center.

“This is very fun for us. They were excited the whole week,” said Wailuku resident Jay-Dee Kuaana, who has custody of her 4-year-old niece, Kaley, and 5-year-old nephew, Kaptyn. “They respect the officers. This is just another good connection for them.”

Police officers and other volunteers also were heartened by the interaction with the children Saturday morning at the Heroes & Helpers event.

One boy, who was afraid of the officers when he arrived, was holding an officer’s hand within 10 minutes, said Paul Tonnessen, executive director of the nonprofit Friends of the Children’s Justice Center.

“And that was the whole purpose behind this — to build that healthy relationship,” he said.

“This is to begin a healing process, not only in their personal lives, but a healing process between their perception of the police and the reality of the police,” Tonnessen said. “It’s to bridge the gap.”

Face masks and social distancing were in place at the outdoor event organized as a COVID-modified version of the annual Shop With a Cop, which is in its 17th year on Maui.

Instead of accompanying police officers wheeling shopping carts through the store, children made Christmas wish lists that were filled last week by volunteers, who shopped for the presents using a $100 gift card for each child.

After getting balloons and running through “snow” from the stationary Maui Sleigh in the parking lot on the side of Planet Fitness, 27 children and their families got into their vehicles for the drive-thru. The first stop was a police tent where Chief Tivoli Faaumu and Mayor Michael Victorino handed out packages with a $30 gift card for each child. About 30 police officers lined the rest of the drive behind stores to the back of Target, where the gifts were delivered.

“Thanks to the creativity of everybody involved, we changed it up,” Faaumu said. “This year will be something we can always remember.

“Every year, we always look forward to it. Unfortunately, we can’t be together and walking the aisles.”

Just six weeks ago, because of the pandemic, there was going to be no annual event for the children who have suffered trauma in their lives.

Thanks to grants from Target and Walmart, the event quickly came together, said Anne Diola, president of the Kiwanis Club of Kahului.

“Target was very instrumental to make sure this still happened,” she said. “Everybody stepped up.”

In addition to doing the shopping, volunteers wrapped all but the larger purchases. “So they’re going to have presents under the tree this year,” Diola said.

Bruce McDonald, the club’s immediate past president who brought the Shop With a Cop event to Maui, said he was “so happy we’re able to spread some joy in such a tough year for everybody.”

Second Circuit Family Court Judge Adrianne Heely was among those who visited with the children and families, including some who have been before her in court for abuse and neglect cases.

“And now the parents are doing great and unified,” she said. “It’s just so heartwarming to see the keiki and their families here. It’s such a joyous occasion.”

Kuaana said her niece and nephew were enjoying seeing other children at the event.

Kaptyn said his favorite part was “taking pictures with police officers.”

He and sister Kaley made their own wish lists.

“Kaptyn loves to build, so he asked for magnet blocks,” Kuaana said. “Kaley loves little animal games.”

“Christmas is a big thing for them,” she said. “Usually we do a small family thing. This is different, more fun, more people they can relate to.”

Many of the police officers volunteering were from the Traffic Section, which has consistently shown up for the event.

“It’s always good for us to have that positive interaction with the community and also for us to be a part of something that has such a positive impact on the families, especially since in traffic a lot of what we deal with is, unfortunately, negative,” said DUI Task Force Sgt. Nick Krau.

He has volunteered for the event for more than 20 years. “It’s good for us, too,” Krau said. “It gives us part of that holiday spirit.”

* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.