Denny Norton, the owner of Performance Unlimited, the premier auto repair shop at 5415 Austin Court, Ringwood, is coming to the end of a two-year term as president of the MC3 McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce business networking group. He was vice president for the two years prior to that and is stepping down from the prior position next month.

During his tenure, the group has twice hosted Shop With A Cop benefit parties to support the program sponsored by McHenry County Police Charities.

The second of the annual installments of the party was held just last week. The group is reported to have raised close to $14,000 which will be used so that area police officers can take children, from families having a hard time with the economy, Christmas shopping. Each child receives a winter coat, hat, gloves and boots, as well as $150 to spend as they please at Walmart on Route 31 in Johnsburg.

“This is a really great event,” Norton said. “Not only does it benefit a great cause, it’s also a great time.”

The party included food, drinks, music and games. There was even a singing competition between the Johnsburg High School and McHenry High School chorus groups. The groups both showed up wearing Victorian Era outfits.

“The outfits were awesome,” said Norton. “But, the singing was just incredible. Personally, I don’t know how anyone could have chosen one group of singers over the other. They were both superb.”

As the party, the food and the entertainment were all free, the funds raised for the event had to come from somewhere. In fact, some of the funds were raised in advance. For instance, Wendy’s restaurant on Route 31 and Burger King on Route 120, in McHenry, both held Shop With A Cop benefit nights to raise funds for the charity by contributing a portion of the proceeds from dinners.

Otherwise, most of the funds were raised through the silent and live auctions and the raffles. A wide array of gifts was available in the raffles. Participants purchased raffle tickets and dropped a ticket here, a ticket there, in the buckets for the items they hoped to win. The gifts were all donated by various individuals and businesses.

Here is a complete list of the contributors: