WAIPOULI – The sun beat down relentlessly on the two Kaua‘i Police Department sergeants, sending them to seek shelter beneath the temporary tent that was set up on the rooftop of the Safeway store here. KPD sergeants Hank Barriga and
WAIPOULI – The sun beat down relentlessly on the two Kaua‘i Police Department sergeants, sending them to seek shelter beneath the temporary tent that was set up on the rooftop of the Safeway store here.
KPD sergeants Hank Barriga and Ezra Kanoho were placed on the rooftop at 6 a.m. Thursday when the Special Olympics’ fund-raiser kicked off.
Jocelyn Freitas, Kaua‘i area director for Special Olympics, said that this fund-raiser is part of a nationwide Special Olympics program that is held in partnership with the Safeway chain.
However, Freitas pointed out that this is the first time the event is being held on Kaua‘i, the KPD officers joining other officers on the outer islands who also grace the rooftops of Safeway stores on those islands.
“We were leading the state when they checked in with us last,” Freitas boasted. As of Friday noon, the check station fronting the Safeway entrance had amassed over $7,000 in collections.
This total goes towards the $10,000 goal established by the Cop on Top program, but Freitas said the officers have set their own goal of $15,000.
Freitas also pointed out that all the funds raised here on Kaua‘i will remain here to help the Special Olympics program operate.
“This had been good,” she said. “This store is really busy.” While she spoke, a steady stream of customers flowed past the check stations established at each of the entrances, people stopping to drop contributions to either a collection jar, or into one of the fishnets being manned by Special Olympics athletes.
Freitas said it’s good that people get to see who these athletes are, and encouraged them to come to the Special Olympics track and field competition when these same athletes compete for prizes and an opportunity to compete at the state level.
She said that support has also come from other police officers as Wes Kaui, Joe Adric, and Miles Tanabe headed a bunch of musicians who provided entertainment during the officers’ non-duty hours.
In return for customer’s contributions, they have an opportunity to have their groceries paid for as a certain level of contribution enables them to place their grocery receipts in a container from which a winner will be picked in a random drawing. Additionally, a special edition Cop on Top T-shirt is available for a $20-contribution, an item that was eagerly picked up by customer Tracy Bouman who said the shirt was for her husband who’ll wear it to work.
Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) and dfujimoto@pulitzer.net
