People looking for a donut and coffee fix Friday morning found more than that in Vernon Hills.
Members of the Vernon Hills Police Department spent four hours camped out around Dunkin’ Donuts — and above it — as part of their sixth annual Cops on the Rooftop fundraiser for the Special Olympics of Illinois.
Patrons who made a donation of any amount received a coupon for a free donut. Those who contributed $5 or $10 got a little more bang for their buck.
In four hours, the department had distributed 72 coffee thermoses in exchange for $10 donations and officers made dozens of attempts to catch in their mouths donut holes dropped from the roof of the donut shop, a feat attempted in exchange for a $5 donation.
Some had more success than others in mastering what Sgt. Jim Levicki coined the “terrifying, death defying, Munchkin Drop.”
“If there is [a strategy], no one told me about it,” said Police Chief Mark Fleischhauer, who made several unsuccessful attempts. “I think I’ve taken about eight off the face so far. You’ve got to adjust for windage, elevation,” he explained.
Det. Andrew Gillespie, who collected cash donations in an overturned police cap, said patrons were generous.
“With the exception of maybe 20 people, everybody donated, and this parking lot is packed all the time,” he said.
Cops on the Rooftop is one of three annual fundraisers the department holds for the Special Olympics of Illinois.
Vernon Hills police collected more than $2,344 in donations from the Polar Plunge into the Fox Lake earlier this year. The third event takes place on June 9, when officers will run a three-mile leg through Vernon Hills in the Torch Run for the Special Olympics.
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