By Brooke Curley
SAFFORD – Authorities provide a number of services to the community, and this Friday is the chance for citizens to show their appreciation by helping them fund the Special Olympics at the second annual Tip-A-Cop event..
The event will be Friday, April 14, at El Charro in Downtown Safford. Local police officers from multiple police departments to wait on tables, and collecting tips. All of the tips collected by the police volunteer-waiters, will be donated directly to the Special Olympics. If there is too big of a crowd, the officers will also be accepting tips and donations for those who choose to not wait to dine at the establishment.
David Adams is in charge of this year’s Tip-A-Cop event. He told Gila valley Central that last year the event was quite successful, bringing in nearly $3,000 in tip donations for the Special Olympics.
“Last year was our first year ever doing it,” Adams said. “We did really well.”
Adams said there will be two shifts of law enforcement and related law enforcement volunteers throughout the day. For lunch and dinner, anyone can come into the restaurant and leave a tip to go directly to fund the Special Olympics. Adams said he hopes some of the Special Olympic athletes will participate in the event as well.
“We would like to have a couple athletes available that day,” he said. “The Special Olympians, if we could get a couple of them there that would be nice. They usually just kind of shadow one or two people, and we let them talk with the people who are eating and who look like they aren’t in a rush.”
Adams said he expects the Safford, Thatcher and Pima police departments to participate, as well as the Graham County Sheriff’s Office and correctional officers from other law enforcement-related branches.
What: Tip-A-Cop Event
When: Friday, April 14, 11 a.m – 1:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 – 8 p.m. for diner
Where: El Charro at 601 W. Main St. Safford, Arizona
If anyone is interested in volunteering contact David Adams with the Arizona Department of Corrections at (928) 428-4698 Ext. 75408.
