Dunkin’ Bemidji joins statewide Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser Friday

Dunkin' in Bemidji will be one of 40 Minnesota locations taking part in the 10th Annual Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser Friday, giving Beltrami County residents a quick way to support Special Olympics Minnesota between 6 and 11 a.m. on May 15. Anyone who donates at participating Dunkin' locations will receive a coupon for a free donut or coffee.

The event pairs local law enforcement with Dunkin' shops, and Special Olympics Minnesota says officers work in shifts to cover the morning hours and help collect donations on the ground. That setup is part of the appeal for agencies that want a high-visibility fundraiser without asking residents to go out of their way. A familiar coffee stop turns into a donation point, and a short morning window creates a built-in crowd of commuters, parents and regular customers already passing through Bemidji.

Special Olympics Minnesota says the local Cop on Top effort has raised more than $125,000 in seven years, while the Law Enforcement Torch Run in Minnesota has brought in more than $58 million for Special Olympics programs across the state. Last year’s event nearly raised $40,000 for the organization, a sign that even a brief drive-up campaign can produce measurable results when it is repeated at a large number of stores.

The Torch Run began in 1981 in Wichita, Kansas, and Special Olympics Minnesota describes it as the largest grassroots fundraiser and public-awareness vehicle for Special Olympics in the world. That history helps explain why law enforcement agencies keep returning to the campaign: it links a recognizable public-safety presence with a cause that benefits athletes and programs statewide, while remaining simple enough for residents to join with a coffee stop and a few dollars. In Bemidji, the event will again make a routine morning errand part of a statewide push that has become a steady source of support year after year.