Dubois County officers join Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser Friday

A cup of coffee at Dunkin’ in Jasper or Ferdinand will do more than start the morning Friday, May 15: it will help fund Special Olympics Indiana when members of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #138 take part in Cop on a Rooftop.

Officers and deputies will be stationed at the Dunkin’ locations at 3085 Newton St. in Jasper and 460 Main St. in Ferdinand from 5 a.m. to noon. Special Olympics Indiana says donors will receive a coupon for a free donut, and anyone giving $10 or more will get a coupon for a free medium hot coffee.

The local effort is part of a much larger statewide push. Special Olympics Indiana says nearly 50 Indiana law-enforcement agencies will join the fundraiser, using the familiar rooftop setup to bring attention to its programs and encourage donations from morning customers. To date, Indiana Cop on a Rooftop events have raised more than $125,000.

In Dubois County, Lodge #138 is the local face of that campaign. Jasper city government identifies the lodge as the Wood Capital Lodge and says it includes personnel from the Jasper, Huntingburg and Ferdinand police departments, the Dubois County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, Indiana Conservation Officers, and the Holland and Birdseye town marshals. That mix means the event will put officers and deputies from across the county in the same public-facing role, outside the routines of calls, patrols and court duties.

The money goes to a program with a wide reach. Special Olympics Indiana says about 20,000 Hoosier athletes train and compete for free through the organization, and its programs provide year-round training and competition in more than 20 sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The fundraiser helps cover that work while also giving the public a low-barrier way to contribute during a normal coffee run.

For Dubois County, the event brings a visible reminder that a few dollars dropped into a donation bucket can travel far beyond the counter. On Friday morning, a stop for coffee in Jasper or Ferdinand will connect directly to an organization that keeps competition and training free for thousands of athletes across Indiana.