D.M. officer hits roof, raises cash for charity
Published: May 28, 2005
While Sgt. Rich Hickle is usually cracking down on crime, Friday he spent time cracking people up - way up.
Hickle, of the Des Moines Police Department, stood on a scaffold atop the Southeast 14th Street Wal-Mart, waving and talking to customers in hopes of raising money and awareness for the Iowa Law Enforcement Torch Run, which benefits Special Olympics Iowa .
“Some will say, ‘Don’t jump,’ or ‘Jump,’ and I’ll probably hear that 1,000 times this weekend,” Hickle said. “But a lot of people get a big kick out of it.”
Hickle began at 7 a.m. Friday a three-day, two-night sleepover on the retailer’s roof. This is the fourth year he’s made such an effort; on average, he’s raised $5,000 a year.
“What it does is it accomplishes getting people to recognize Special Olympics, and that’s what this is about,” he said.
Barring a thunderstorm, Hickle will sleep in a tent while on the roof. He has a cooler full of soft drinks, and Wal-Mart will provide him with food.
Special Olympics Iowa is a statewide nonprofit organization that uses sports training and competition to provide people with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to participate in a larger society. It has operated for more than 35 years.
The fundraiser will benefit several programs available to the 12,500 Special Olympics athletes.
“I want to help out people who need help,” said Brandon Allen, 34, of Des Moines, who dropped money in a collection bucket. “I’ve watched how organizations like this have helped (people) grow.”
Nick Lopez, also of Des Moines, agreed. He said his mother works with disabled people and he supports programs that provide broader opportunities to people with disabilities.
“Over the years I’ve been around these kids and I’ve worked with them, and (Special Olympics) is a good thing because it makes them feel like one of us,” he said. “They are able to do all the stuff we do - play basketball, baseball, ride a bike.”
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