When our daughter (now 21) was just a couple years old, we’d go to the Christmas tree place each year to bring home a tree. It’s a family holiday tradition to tell the story of her delight as we drove home. She’d have that smile only the very young can get, point at the roof of the car and say, many times over, “Tree on top!”

Well, we’ve got something just about as delightful coming up, and it’s a tradition in its own right: the 13th annual “Cop on Top” on May 29.

I’ve always liked the inherent self-deprecating humor that goes along with the event — the idea that you can always find a cop hanging out at a Dunkin Donuts place. They’ve flipped that stereotype upside down with this promotion that puts police on Dunkin Donuts rooftops in order to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois.

This year’s event is on Friday, May 29, beginning at 5 a.m., and officers are scheduled to cover 193 Dunkin’ Donuts rooftops, including 21 we counted in Kane County. (See list below.)

We haven’t received press releases from every department (email ricknagel23@gmail.com or nagelrick@co.kane.il.us), but we do know that the Maple Park Police Department recently raised a record $87,566 for Illinois Special Olympics with a Torch Run fundraiser, and that last year, Aurora Police officers raised more than $17,600 for the charity through various fund raisers and events.

 

Kane County residents can participate just by having a doughnut and making a donation on Friday.

Each guest who visits a Cop on a Rooftop location that day and makes a donation to the Torch Run will receive a free doughnut coupon. Guests donating at least $10 will receive a Law Enforcement Torch Run travel mug (while supplies last) and a coupon for free medium coffee. Other items, such as Torch Run T-shirts and hats, will be sold for various donation amounts. Additional activities will vary by Dunkin’ Donuts location.

In honor of the Special Olympics athletes and police officers supporting the rooftop event, Dunkin’ Donuts will donate $15,000 to the Torch Run Fund.

This year for the first time, police officers will be tweeting from the rooftops using the hashtag #CoponaRooftop.

“Nearly $2 million has been raised from this event and we’re hoping to set new records this year,” said Illinois Torch Run Director and Sherman Police Chief Eric Smith.  “It’s a fun event that works.”

To meet their goal, police officers will have to top last year’s total of $430,000.

For a list of all participating locations, click here. Let us know if we missed any from Kane County, and we’ll add them to the list!

Friday, May 29, Cop on Top Locations

Aurora

• 2380 S Eola Road
• 1255 N Farnsworth Ave.
• 2112 W Galena Boulevard
• 1237 N Eola Road
• 2933 Kirk Road

Batavia

• 2002 W Wilson St.

Carpentersville

• 270 Randall Road

East Dundee

• 892 S Main St.

Elburn

• 780 N Main St.

Elgin

• 263 S Randall Road
• 95 Clock Tower Plaza
• 1730 N State St.

Gilberts

• 171 E Higgins Road

Huntley

• 12090 Princeton Drive

Montgomery

• 1601 Douglas Road

North Aurora

• 407 South Lincolnway
• 257 Genesis Drive

South Elgin

• 514 Randall Road
• 245 S Randall Road

St. Charles

• 1711 W. Main St.
• 2057 Lincoln Highway