MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- How comfortable are you with staying for three consecutive days on 14-feet high scaffolds? For Civilian Military Police Officer Marc Rivera, a crime prevention officer at the Provost Marshal’s Office, it was no problem, because it meant raising money for a good cause.
Last week, Aug. 27 through 29, 2015, Marine Corps Base Hawaii units including PMO and Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 participated in the 14th Annual Cop on Top, a statewide event where military personnel and off-duty law enforcement officers perched 14-feet high on scaffolds placed at multiple locations, to help raise money for the nonprofit organization Special Olympics Hawaii.
These locations included Aikahi Park Shopping Center, Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center, Hawaii Kai Shopping Center and multiple Sam’s Club locations around the state. The annual drive invited the public to take pictures, talk story with the cops and Marines and most importantly, donate money and learn more about Special Olympics Hawaii.
Rivera volunteered at Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center, where he was joined by fellow PMO staff, along with police officers, Special Olympics staff and athletes. He stayed up in the scaffold, which was set up in the parking lot, for all three days, and only came down for absolute necessities, which included bathroom breaks, eating food and resting.
“Even though it was crazy hot throughout the day, everyone had a blast. We exceeded our fundraising goals, and it was a lot of fun,” Rivera said.
Rivera said it was particularly memorable for him to see how many area shoppers stopped by and gave money, and to see in person how the event helped raise awareness for an issue that touched many local families.
“What we saw was that there really are many people whose families are affected with special needs or intellectual disabilities. They all were donating because they know this is such a good event,” he said.
He also said that the event helped build camaraderie within the Marine Corps Base Hawaii units, and with the off-duty police officers as well. The PMO office has been participating with Cop on Top since its first year.
“Despite the excessive heat, we did very well and that’s awesome because the money is going to fund the remaining events, competitions and training at Special Olympics Hawaii," said Jen Ernst, the Windward Area director for Special Olympics Hawaii.
She added that everybody who visited the shopping centers were very generous, and that the volunteers went above and beyond, despite the possibility of a hurricane.
According to Tracey Bender, the development director for Special Olympics Hawaii, each location around the state had a specific fundraising goal, in order to raise a collective total of $250,000. The money raised would enable Special Olympics Hawaii to provide year-round sports training and competition opportunities to more than 3,900 athletes across the state each year.
It costs approximately $756 per athlete for training and competition costs, and since 2001, Cop on Top has raised nearly $2.5 million. These sports include basketball, baseball, swim, track and field, bowling, bocce ball and more, and are offered at no cost to parents or the athletes. For more information, visit specialolympicshawaii.org.