Please enjoy the following photos taken during Special Olympics West Hawaii’s annual fundraiser, Cop On Top. To learn more about the event, read the fantastic articles written by West Hawaii Today reporter Chelsea Jensen and Hawaii247.com.
View the entire album of awesome photos taken by Nikki Cleintuar and other SOWH volunteers by clicking here.
West Hawaii Today Publisher Rick Asbach and Editor Reed Flickinger, as well as reporters Kim Eaton, Chelsea Jensen, Carolyn Lucas and Erin Miller, will be participating in a dunk tank fundraiser at 5 p.m. Friday (April 30) at Safeway on Henry Street in Kailua-Kona as part of Special Olympics West Hawaii’s annual Cop On Top fundraiser.
Cop On Top, happening now through Saturday, is the biggest fundraiser for SOWH, a year-round program dedicated to helping children and adults with intellectual disabilities improve their quality of life through sports. During the event, local police officers are on scaffolding at the Safeway, where they rally support and drop buckets below to those passing by for donations to SOWH.
While doing an interview with Jensen Thursday morning, police officers issued a challenge for Asbach and Flickinger: get into the dunk tank and raise money for SOWH. To give their bosses an incentive, the reporters vowed late Thursday afternoon to participate if they did. SOWH Area Director Dave Ross even made appearance to the newspaper’s office, personally inviting Asbach and Flickinger to participate.
There will be a fee to throw balls at the target. For instance, $5 to $10 for three balls. The price will be determined by the police officers.
For more information about SOWH or Cop On Top, call Ross at 345-1344.
PLEASE ENJOY THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS WEST HAWAII TODAY REPORTER AND SOWH BLOG EDITOR CAROLYN LUCAS TOOK DURING THE NEWSPAPER’S DUNK TANK FUNDRAISER AT COP ON TOP.
West Hawaii Today Editor Reed Flickinger
A boy assesses the dunk tank situation while West Hawaii Today Editor Reed Flickinger and SOWH Area Director Dave Ross look on.
West Hawaii Today Editor Reed Flickinger shown after his time in the dunk tank. Reporter Chelsea Jensen gets in next while local police officers invite passerbyers to get it their best shot.
West Hawaii Today Editor Reed Flickinger tries to dunk his boss — Publisher Rick Asbach.
West Hawaii Today Publisher Rick Asbach heckling the crowd.
West Hawaii Today Editor Reed Flickinger takes his best shot at Walter Ah Mow, of the Hawaii Police Department, who challenged the newspaper staff to get in the dunk tank.
West Hawaii Today Publisher Rick Asbach
MORE FUN PHOTOS FROM THE FUNDRAISER TAKEN BY WEST HAWAII TODAY REPORTER ERIN MILLER.
SOWH Blog Editor and West Hawaii Today Reporter Carolyn Lucas
SOWH Area Director Dave Ross helps a boy dunk West Hawaii Today Editor Reed Flickinger.
Kailua-Kona resident Angel Eaton tries to dunk her mom's boss — West Hawaii Today Editor Reed Flickinger.
West Hawaii Today reporter and Special Olympics West Hawaii Blog editor Carolyn Lucas wrote an awesome article about the Troy Barboza Law Enforcement Torch Run, which benefits Special Olympics. The story was published April 12 and can be viewed on the newspaper’s Web site. Here’s an excerpt:
Speech wasn’t necessary to communicate 18-year-old Isaiah Wong’s joy Sunday.
The nonverbal Special Olympics West Hawaii athlete clutched tightly in his hand the “Flame of Hope,” smiled enormously upon seeing the crowd gathered at The Club in Kailua-Kona and finished the Troy Barboza Law Enforcement Torch Run with heart.
“I’m speechless. There are no words to describe our gratitude for Special Olympics. This organization means so much to Isaiah and our close-knit family,” said Norma Wong, his mother. “Isaiah has autism. This is his second year with Special Olympics, which has helped him grow socially, boost his self-confidence and fulfill his passion for competition. It’s also something that brings us even closer to together as a family.
Please enjoy the following photos taken by fantastic SOWH volunteer Nikki Cleintuar. To view the entire album, click here.
Special Olympics West Hawaii is participating in the 32nd annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk, a statewide event that occurs simultaneously Saturday, May 15, on Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai.
More than 9,500 walkers raised $1.12 million and helped 190 local charities, including SOWH, in 2008.
The Big Island event begins at 6:45 a.m. for runners and 7 a.m. for walkers at the Mauna Lani Resort. The course is 3 miles. Participants can register from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. prior to the event.
Volunteers are needed to man the SOWH aid station located along the walking route. Want to help? Call SOWH Area Director Dave Ross at 345-1344 or e-mail sowhdave@yahoo.com.
SOWH athletes, coaches, volunteers, families, friends and supporters are also encouraged to participate in the Charity Walk. The entry is $35 for adults and $25 for those under 18 years of age, which includes a morning of fun, food, entertainment and exercise.
For more information about the Charity Walk, call Ian Pullan, of the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, at 885-2000.
Due to a change of management at Safeway in Kailua-Kona, Cop On Top will now be held in the Spring instead of in the Fall.
This annual fundraiser for Special Olympics West Hawaii will start at 6 a.m. Thursday, April 29, and conclude in the afternoon of Saturday, May 1. During those three days, local police officers will live on scaffolding in front of Safeway on Henry Street, rallying support and dropping buckets below to those passing by for donations to SOWH.
This is the biggest fundraiser for the organization dedicated to helping children and adults with intellectual disabilities improve their quality of life through sports.
SOWH needs volunteers to help collect donations in front of Safeway during the event. To get involved or for more information about Cop On Top, e-mail volunteer coordinator Dulcie Sorenson at specialolympicswh@gmail.com or call SOWH Area Director Dave Ross at 345-1344.
The Hawaii Police Department and volunteers will carry the “Flame of Hope” through the streets of Kailua-Kona Sunday, April 11, in an effort to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics athletes.
This event, known as the Troy Barboza Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, is a tradition in the law enforcement community around the world. It begins at 9 a.m. at First Hawaiian Bank in the Lanihau Shopping Center.
The “Flame of Hope” will be carried along Alii Drive, go to Hale Halewai and end at The Club in Kona, where the Special Olympics West Hawaii Powerlifting Tournament will be held directly after the run.
The public is encouraged to attend the SOWH Powerlifting Tournament. Scores will be used at the State Summer Special Olympic Games on Oahu in late May.
Those who make donations of $20 or more will receive a free commemorative 2010 Troy Barboza/First Hawaiian Bank Law Enforcement Torch Run T-shirt or tank top. A $25 donation entitles the donor to a long-sleeved shirt or one in XXXL size.
For more information about the Torch Run, call the Police Department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311. To donate supplies or volunteer for the tournament, call SOWH Area Director Dave Ross at 345-1344.
West Hawaii Today reporter Chelsea Jensen wrote a great followup article about Cop on Top, the annual fundraiser for Special Olympics West Hawaii. The story was published Sept. 12 and can be viewed on the newspaper’s Web site. Here’s an excerpt:
While the Cop on Top event in Kailua-Kona earlier this month may not have netted Special Olympics West Hawaii’s goal of $15,000, the $13,101 donated will help the organization purchase equipment and uniforms, train coaches and send athletes to area and state Special Olympics tournaments this fall and winter, said Special Olympics West Hawaii Area Director Dave Ross.
“We had a good turnout, people were very generous. Our goal was $15,000, which we didn’t reach, but we made more money this year in a bad economy than last year when the economy wasn’t that bad,” Ross said, noting that the 2008 event netted about $11,300 in Kona. “Thumbs up to everybody.”
West Hawaii Today reporter Chelsea Jensen wrote a fantastic article about Cop On Top, an annual fundraiser for Special Olympics West Hawaii. The story was published Sept. 4 and can be viewed on the newspaper’s Web site. Here’s an excerpt:
Thursday, at 6 a.m. sharp, officers climbed atop 20 feet of scaffolding, perching themselves above the Kailua-Kona Safeway parking lot calling upon customers to donate any extra money to the West Hawaii athletes.
Ah Mow and Sgt. Rollin Rabara, who are both using personal vacation time to participate in the event, will eat, sleep and collect donations for more than 50 hours this weekend. When night arrives, the music will quiet and Rabara and Ah Mow will nestle into their sleeping bags knowing that at 6 a.m. sharp, it’s time to continue raising funds for the athletes.
The officers will not step down until 2 p.m. Saturday, even if they make their goal of collecting some $15,000 for West Hawaii athletes before then, said Ah Mow, noting that throughout the three-day fundraising event other officers, as well as cadets, join in the effort.
“Just to see the faces on these athletes is why we do this — it’s total satisfaction and we are blessed to do what we can for these athletes,” Ah Mow said.
If $15,000 isn’t collected during the Labor Day weekend, officers will remain at the site until the goal has been reached, said Special Olympics West Hawaii Area Director Dave Ross.
“It takes a lot of passion to do it. It’s all about trying to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Rabara, who has also stood atop the scaffolding with Ah Mow for the past six years. “It’s even more gratifying to make a difference in someone else’s life who may not live what we feel to be a normal life.”
The Hawaii Police Department will reach new heights next month to support Special Olympics West Hawaii, a year-round program dedicated to helping children and adults with intellectual disabilities improve their quality of life through sports.
For Cop On Top, local police officers will spend held Sept. 3 through Sept. 5 in the air on scaffolding at the Safeway on Henry Street in Crossroads Center in Kailua-Kona. They will rally support and drop buckets below to those passing by for donations to SOWH.
This year’s goal is to raise $15,000 and the police officers will actually sleep in the scaffolding for the three night — or until the monetary objective is reached.
All funds raised will stay in West Hawaii to be used for the SOWH program and its athletes. Cop On Top is SOWH’s biggest fundraiser of the year. SOWH is a nonprofit organization that is funded by donations, said SOWH Area Director Dave Ross.
SOWH helps athletes develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skill and friendship with fellow athletes, families and the community. SOWH teams compete in Area Games on the Big Island and on Maui in order to qualify for the State Games on Oahu, where Special Olympics teams throughout the Hawaiian Islands compete for medals, Ross said.
SOWH appreciates the support the local community and makes giving back a priority. Annually, SOWH participates in service projects like beach cleanups, tree plantings, as well as runs aid stations for Ironman events, Kona Marathon and the Visitor Industry Charity Walk, Ross said.
Here are some ways the public can help with Cop On Top:
* MAKE A DONATION – When you do your Safeway shopping Sept. 3 through Sept. 5, contribute. Or, thank the local police officers, athletes, volunteers and Safeway employees for their time and effort in supporting and promoting SOWH.
* GET INVOLVED – Become a part of this Fundraising event. Volunteers are needed to solicit donations and give information about SOWH. Those interested in volunteering should contact SOWH Volunteer Coordinator KC Strand at zionvideos@yahoo.com or 315-7944.
