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Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding raised a bucket full of donations at the Cops on Rooftops Special Olympics fundraiser September 25, 2010. Photo by Kevin Dayhoff |
Cops on Rooftops fundraiser for Special Olympics a great success
$8,332.00 raised in 30 hours in an event full of good humor for a worthy cause
Posted 9/29/2010
A rested Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding gave a report on the recent “Cops on Rooftops” fundraising event at the Westminster mayor and common council meeting last Monday.
He looked none the worse for wear after spending over 30 hours perched on the roof of the Dunkin' Donuts, on Route 140 in Westminster last Saturday and Sunday.
After the obligatory humor about cops and doughnuts, Spaulding confessed that he was proud that he only ate two doughnuts in the 30 hours he spend with his colleague, Lt. Andrew Winner, commander of the Maryland State Police Westminster barrack, raising money for Special Olympics Athletes.
“Well, we endured the heat, the cold, the wind, and the rain, but the fundraiser was a great success. We raised well in excess of our $5,000 goal for Special Olympics last weekend…”
The total came to $8,332.00, said Spaulding with some pride and a bit of subdued amazement that they surpassed their goal by so much.
At 9:30 last Saturday night the two intrepid police officers had already raised over $3,500.00 when Explore Carroll visited to check their progress (and their welfare.)
“It’s going well,” said Spaulding over the sounds of the radio playing and the steady stream of well-wishers from below. Up on the rooftop, Winner and Spaulding had nested quite well, with lawn chairs, food, and an awning overhead set-up to provide all the comforts of home – on a highway store rooftop, that is.
How Spaulding only ate two doughnuts is amazing since their rooftop digs were constantly bombarded with the aromas of doughnuts being made in the store below.
“Oh, geeze, what’s that? It’s apple. I think they are now making something with apples” (in the store below,) lamented Spaulding at one point. “Oh man, this is torture,” he laughed as he traded words of encouragement with Winner not to eat too many doughnuts throughout the evening.
Of course, both Winner and Spaulding are athletes themselves and do not look like they eat too many doughnuts. “Look at this guy,” Spaulding said of Winner last Saturday night.
“Does he look like he eats a lot of doughnuts?”
"Don't answer that," Winner said.
“The citizens of Carroll County have been quite generous,” said Spaulding. “Frankly, that does not surprise me,” he elaborated as he added how he has always been amazed as to how well Carroll countians support social causes with generosity.
Winner quickly added in agreement, “I have been truly amazed at the generosity of Carroll County. A lot of people made a special effort to come and make a donation.”
Maryland State Police spokesperson Greg Shipley was also there last Saturday evening to cheer Winner and Spaulding on.
“It’s commendable…,” said Shipley. When asked for further comment, Shipley explained that all the attention needed to be on the two police officers and the special needs athletes they support.
“Hey, I’m just here to congratulate them on what looks to be a successful event. It’s nice that two officers give-up their weekend for such a good cause,” said a smiling Shipley as he traded humor with Winner and Spaulding from the parking lot below.
"It's a great cause," Spaulding said of Special Olympics. “Law enforcement has a long history of supporting Special Olympics.”
So does Spaulding. He is a central regional coordinator for the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, and has participated in that event since 1986.
His interest started 23 years ago when he was an officer in the Howard County Police Department and was asked to participate in Maryland's first Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.
Since then, he has volunteered to raise money for and awareness about Special Olympics. He attends Special Olympics competitions as far away as Japan to serve as a security guard, awards presenter or volunteer.
As for the doughnut shop rooftop stunt, the idea came from law enforcement officers in Illinois who took to the rooftops of 94 Dunkin' Donuts locations in 2009, and raised more than $182,000.
In Maryland last year, one location in Laurel participated in the promotion and raised $7,000. This year, Westminster joined three other participating locations in College Park, Ocean City, and Glen Burnie.
Last Monday night at the Westminster council meeting, Spaulding explained that a retired state trooper made a special trip to donate $1,000.00 on Sunday and the owner of the Dunkin’ Donuts also donated $1,000.00 to the cause.
“And folks are still asking if they can still donate,” said Spaulding. “And the answer is yes, just be in touch with me at the (Westminster Police) station.”
For information about donating to the fund for Special Olympics of Maryland, go to the organization's website at www.somd.org or call 410-789-6677, or call Spaulding at the police station at 410-848-4646. Contributing doughnuts is optional.
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