Visiting the “Cops on Rooftop” event at Dunkin Donuts in Westminster with Chief Spaulding & St’s Atty DeLeonardo

Visiting the “Cops on Rooftop” event at Dunkin Donuts in Westminster with Chief Spaulding & St’s Atty DeLeonardo

Cops take to the rooftop of the Westminster Dunkin’ Donuts store in support of Special Olympics Maryland October 10^th and 11, 2015 http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2015/10/cops-take-to-rooftop-of-westminster.html

See also: Cops on Rooftops fundraiser for Special Olympics a great success http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/10/cops-on-rooftops-fundraiser-for-special.html

$8,332.00 raised in 30 hours in an event full of good humor for a worthy cause

By Kevin Dayhoff Posted 9/29/2010

Labels: Food doughnuts, MD Special Olympics, MD State Police MSP, MD State Police Winner Andy, Non-profits, Westminster Police, Westminster Police Chief Spaulding-Jeff

Chief Jeff Spaulding of the Westminster Police Department, Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees, Lieutenant Pat McCrory of the Maryland State Police and Carroll County State’s Attorney Brian DeLeonardo

Public safety executives from the Westminster Police Department, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland State Police and the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office will collect donations for Special Olympics Maryland on the rooftop of the Westminster Dunkin’ Donuts the weekend of October 10th and 11th.

Anyone who ever thought nothing good could come from cops sitting around (or in this case ON) a donut shop might reconsider that notion when “Cops on Rooftops” – a fundraiser for Special Olympics Maryland -- comes to the Westminster Dunkin’ Donuts location on Saturday, October 10th through Sunday, October 11th, 2015.

As part of a national fundraising effort for Special Olympics, Chief Jeff Spaulding of the Westminster Police Department, Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees, Lieutenant Pat McCrory of the Maryland State Police and Carroll County State’s Attorney Brian DeLeonardo have volunteered to spend the weekend on the roof of Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant in Westminster  (140 Shopping Center on Route 140).  Their collective fundraising goal is $9,000 and they have vowed that they will not come down until all of that money has been collected.

In 2014, there were four (4) Police Departments across Maryland who participated in this effort and raised more than $25,000 for the Athletes of Special Olympics Maryland.   This year six (6) Dunkin’ Donuts across the state will take part in the program: College Park, Frederick, Laurel, Hyattsville, California (MD) and Westminster.

Dunkin’ Donuts customers and the general public alike are encouraged to stop by and support the officers in their efforts to raise both funds and awareness for the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics Maryland. Along with law enforcement volunteers who will be on the rooftop, other officers and Special Olympics Athletes will greet customers inside and outside of the store, passing around donation jars and rallying support for this great cause.  If you can’t make the event, please visit us at www.copsonrooftops.com and donate to the Westminster location as we reach for our goal of $9,000 in 2015.

According to Chief Spaulding, “Cops and donuts have a long, humorous history together, so it was only fitting that we team up with the great folks at Dunkin’ Donuts for this light-hearted event.  This event allows us to do something great for an incredible organization and poke a little fun at ourselves at the same time.  What could be better than that?”

The event conceived by a group of the law enforcement officers from Illinois, who in 2009, took to the rooftops of 94 Dunkin’ Donuts locations across the state and raised more than $182,000.

Special Olympics Maryland (SOMD) is a year-round sports organization dedicated to providing quality sports training and competition opportunities to Maryland’s children and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or closely related development disabilities. SOMD currently provides thousands of sports experiences annually for athletes statewide, and offers 24 sports, all at no cost to the athletes or their families.  For more information about SOMD visit www.somd.org or call 410-242-1515.

See also: Cops on Rooftops fundraiser for Special Olympics a great success

http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2010/10/cops-on-rooftops-fundraiser-for-special_1.html

$8,332.00 raised in 30 hours in an event full of good humor for a worthy cause

By Kevin Dayhoff 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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http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/10/cops-on-rooftops-fundraiser-for-special.html

Photo: 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

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Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding is all smiles as he raises a bucket full of donations at the Cops on Rooftops Special Olympics fundraiser September 25, 2010.  Photo by Kevin Dayhoff