Police to stake out local Dunkin' Donuts rooftops for Special Olympics

 

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Local police will be hanging out at Dunkin' Donut shops on Friday but these lawmen will be doing a lot more than chugging coffee and gobbling doughnuts.

For the 11th year in a row, police will be patrolling the rooftops of 150 coffee shops on the lookout for donations for the Special Olympics.

Officers will begin their quest at 5 a.m. at Dunkin' locations across the Southland.

The police want to heighten awareness of the Special Olympics and to raise money for the Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit the Special Olympics. 

“More than $1.3 million has been raised from this event over the last 10 years and we’re hoping to set new records this year,” said Illinois Torch Run Director and Sherman Police Chief Eric Smith.  “It’s a wonderfully fun event that works.”

To meet their goal, police officers will have to top last year’s total of $240,000. They will get a helping hand from Dunkin' Donuts, which is donating $15,000 to the Torch Run fund.

Each customer who makes a donation will receive a coupon for a free doughnut. Customers who donate at least $10 will get a Law Enforcement Torch Run travel mug and a coupon for a free medium coffee. 

Other items will be for sale including T-shirts and hats. Some of the locations are also planning their own activities.

Lending a hand at the Dunkin' at 6925 S. Pulaski Road in Chicago will be Chicago Fire team captain Logan Pause and Fire mascot Sparky from 7-8 a.m. They will join Beto Carreto from El Patron 95.5 FM, who will be broadcasting live from 5-9 a.m.

Police will be on the roofs of these local Dunkin' Donuts:

• Brookfield, 9208 Ogden Ave.  
• Countryside, 5500 S. LaGrange Road
• Summit,  6144 S. Harlem Ave.
• Hickory Hills, 7847 W. 95^th St.
• Burbank, 8049 S. Harlem Ave.
• Alsip,  12150 S. Cicero   Ave.
• Chicago, 5615 S. Harlem Ave.
• Chicago, 6925 S. Pulaski Rd.
• Chicago Heights, 3225 Chicago Rd.
• Country Club Hills, 4021 W. 183^rd St.
• Crestwood,  13661 Cicero Ave.
• Dolton,  1136 E. Sibley
• Dolton, 250 Sibley
• Harvey, 16242 S. Halsted
• Lansing,  17733 Torrence Ave.
• Lemont,  1106 State St. (ground only)
• Lockport,  1069 E. Ninth St.
• Midlothian,  14631 Pulaski
• New Lenox,  970 Laraway Rd.
• Olympia Fields, 3252 Vollmer
• Orland Park, 11289 W. 143^rd
• Orland Park, 14461 S. LaGrange
• Orland Park, 8940 W. 159^th
• Orland Park, 15606 S. Harlem
• Palos Heights, 12807 S. Harlem
• Palos Park, 13029 S. LaGrange Rd.
• Palos  Park, 11901 S. 80^th Ave.
• Posen, 3101 W. 147^th St.
• Richton Park, 3937 Sauk Trail
• Sauk Village, 2703 E. Sauk Trail
• South Holland,  460 E. 162^nd Street
• Tinley Park,  7935 W. 171^st St.

For a list of all participating locations, go to www.facebook.com/DunkinChicago or www.facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsIllinois.