BRICK TOWNSHIP — The Brick Police Benevolent Association [PBA] No. 230 welcomed children to “Climb With A Cop” last Saturday at the Gravity Vault at 110 Brick Plaza. The sport activity was the second annual fundraiser event dedicated to the Special Olympics New Jersey [SONJ].
According to Patrolman Brian Foley, Climb With A Cop is supported by other police departments throughout New Jersey. For Brick, this is the second year.
“It’s an open climb from 10 [a.m.] to 2 [p.m.] today. They pay $30. Whatever we make from the event, they [get] sent to their [SONJ] corporate [office] and then it gets all bumped together and sent to the Special Olympics.”
Mr. Foley said the mechanics are simple: “A kid walks in and says, ‘I’m here for the event.’ Then they’ll do their waiver. Then they will get a bracelet. Then they will just find us. They can go to anyone who is wearing this shirt.”
There were 13 PBA members who volunteered last year to help children have fun while raising funds. This year, he said, the numbers have doubled to 22 volunteers.
Tom Cooney, a Brick PBA member, explained that the funds “pays for them [Special Olympics athletes] to attend the Olympics game that they wanted to attend. So, we raise the funds for the athletes without [them] incurring any costs.”
The donations for the Climb With A Cop do not only come from individuals who come to the climb. Businesses and organizations all over New Jersey also support the fundraiser. Mr. Foley pointed to the volunteer shirt where the names of the sponsors are printed. Some of them are ShopRite, Pine Belt Lakewood, Jersey Mike’s, Wing Stop, The Atlantic House, Grape Expectations, among others.
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Coast Star—on newsstands Thursday or online in our e-Edition.
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