Local cops to participate in fundraiser for Special Olympics

In an effort to raise awareness and support for Special Olympics Montana, law enforcement statewide will participate in Tip-A-Cop at MacKenzie River Pizza.

Locally, the event will be on Sept. 27 at the Whitefish MacKenzie River Pizza as well as both Kalispell locations. The public is invited to attend and support the local Special Olympics Montana athletes as well as local law enforcement.

Law Enforcement will work as celebrity servers and their tips will benefit Special Olympics Montana in their local communities and across the state. Special Olympics is a nonprofit organization that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition to more than 2,000 people with intellectual disabilities in Montana.

The first Tip-A-Cop with MacKenzie River Pizza was held in 2011 in Whitefish. Since then, the event has expanded into Bozeman, Belgrade, Helena, Great Falls, Butte, Billings, Missoula and Kalispell.

The Tip-A-Cop fundraiser is part of the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) campaign. LETR, which includes an international series of relay runs and special events like Tip-A-Cop, is represented by more than 110,000 law enforcement officers worldwide to help raise money and public awareness for Special Olympics. LETR is the largest grassroots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics through which funds raised go directly to local programs in states or countries where the funds are generated.

The Montana Law Enforcement Torch Run is a year-round campaign and raises over $650,000 through sponsors, pledges, special events and t-shirt sales.