Twelve-year-old Cesar Gonzalez was in a quandary Thursday night at the Athens Walmart.

He wandered from aisle to aisle, trying to find the perfect toy, but nothing stood out to him. Despite help from Athens Fire Capt. Jeff Jones, Gonzalez couldn’t make up his mind.

Jones told Gonzalez he had $150 to spend — $75 on toys and another $75 on clothes. If he wanted, Jones told him, he could spend more on clothes than toys.

At one point, Gonzalez looked at Jones and asked if he could buy something that wasn’t clothes or toys.

“What is it you want?” Jones asked Gonzalez.

“Some Clorox wipes,” the child said.

“If you want Clorox wipes, we’ll get you some Clorox wipes,” Jones said, as Gonzalez wandered back down another toy aisle.

“You hate to tell a child they can’t have something to clean with,” Jones said.

Gonzalez’s sister, 11-year-old Liliana, wasn’t struggling finding toys she wanted. She’d pick one up and look it over, then ask the price. Tashia Baugher, a 12-year employee at Steelcase, would tell her the price and ask Liliana if it was something she wanted. If the toy went in the family’s buggy, Baugher would write down the item and the price in her notebook.

“I’ve been doing this for six years,” Baugher said. “I like to see the kids smiling.”

Jones and Baugher were among the Athens firefighters and Steelcase employees at Walmart on Thursday night as part of the annual Shop With a Firefighter event. Funds are provided by the Athens Fire & Rescue Auxiliary, Steelcase and Walmart. As firefighters and Steelcase employees waited at the front of the store for families to arrive, several Athens residents walked up and donated to the cause.

About 60 children were chosen this year by school guidance counselors. Athens Fire Chief Bryan Thornton said this was the 22nd year for the event. He described it as an “absolute blessing” to help children have a merry Christmas when they might not otherwise.

When asked if the occasion ever put a lump in his throat, Thornton acknowledged there have been years where tears have been shed over helping someone truly in need.

“When my children got older, they came and helped us,” Thornton said. “It’s a humbling experience to teach them there are people that, for whatever reason, are just one bad break from being in a bad situation. That’s why you should always count your blessings and be thankful for everything you have.”

Jones said seeing how blessed his own children are is one reason why he loves helping other children.

“I have kids who have way more than they need, so it’s nice to give to people who really appreciate it,” he said. “(The firefighters) are just the novelty aspect of it.”

He laughed at Cesar’s inability to find a toy but said it’s not all that unusual.

“Some families don’t want toys,” he said. “I’ve had families where the mother said, ‘We don’t need toys, we need clothes.’”

Baugher, who’s been volunteering for six years, arrived at Walmart after a long shift at Steelcase. She said she appreciated Steelcase allowing its employees to be a part of the event.

“There’s so many kids who need things,” she said. “Even after a long day, it’s worth it to come here and see this.”