The Ventura Police Department (VPD) will be sponsoring the Special Olympics “Tip-A-Cop” event on Tuesday, June 26, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at California Pizza Kitchen at 3301 E. Main St. at the Pacific View Mall.
Tip-A-Cop is a law enforcement fundraising event in which police officers assist with waiting tables at a local restaurant and collect “tip” donations for the Special Olympics. For over twenty years VPD has been involved in the Tip-A-Cop program. This will be the second year California Pizza Kitchen will be hosting this event.
Community members are encouraged to come and support the event by dining out and meeting local Special Olympics Athletes and Ventura Police Officers as they act as “celebrity servers,” while assisting California Pizza Kitchen servers throughout the evening. While tips to restaurant servers are encouraged, envelopes will be provided to dining patrons to give to the cause. Officers will also be accompanied by Ventura County Special Olympics Athletes who help serve food and sell t-shirts. Athletes are anxious to show off their medals and share their Special Olympics experiences.
“Last year we had a great event raising over $3,000 in tip donations for the Ventura County Special Olympics,” stated Officer Bernadette Compean who helps organize the Special Olympics Torch Run and Tip-A-Cop events for the VPD. “We look forward to another successful year and to our continued partnership with Special Olympics. We appreciate our partnership with California Pizza Kitchen in supporting these special athletes.”
For over twenty years, Ventura County law enforcement agencies have been raising funds in support of the Special Olympics Ventura County. The fundraising events support year-round sports training and competition to over 700 individuals with intellectual disabilities, ages eight years and up, free of charge, in seventeen sports at over forty training sites throughout Ventura County.
“The Special Olympians’ courage, perseverance and positive attitude while facing challenges has been very inspiring over these years. They are the ones that make this event so great. The athletes teach us all to accept and include each other. My next-door neighbor is a Special Olympian, and this is the highlight of his year. It makes him so happy to spend time with our officers and participate in these events. It’s his attitude that really makes it so special for our team,” stated Community Outreach Specialist Ashley Bautista.
For more information on this event, and Special Olympics of Ventura County, contact Officer Bernadette Compean at 805-339-4453, ([email protected]), or Special Olympics Regional Director Peggi Preston at 805-650-7717 ([email protected]).
