KSP troopers host Cover the Cruiser fundraiser for Special Olympics Kentucky in Hazard

Kentucky State Police troopers from Post 13 set up at Walmart in Daniel Boone Plaza in Hazard on April 16, turning the familiar Perry County store into a stop for Special Olympics Kentucky donations. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., community members were invited to give at least $1, receive a custom icon and place it on a KSP cruiser, with donations accepted in cash and through Venmo.

The Hazard event was part of KSP’s seventh annual Cover the Cruiser campaign, which ran statewide April 9-17 and included all 16 KSP posts and State Headquarters in Frankfort. Every dollar collected went directly to Special Olympics Kentucky, tying the fundraiser to a cause that supports athletes across the commonwealth while keeping troopers visible in the communities they serve.

Cover the Cruiser began in 2020 after the annual Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run was canceled because of COVID-19. Special Olympics Kentucky said the campaign raised more than $8,400 in 2025 and more than $75,000 in its first six years; KSP said one 2026 release put the total at $75,700.76 since the effort began. Special Olympics Kentucky says the program also helps fund sports, health, and school and community-building programs for its athletes.

That local stop in Hazard mattered for Perry County because Post 13 serves Breathitt, Knott, Leslie, Letcher and Perry counties from its base at 100 Justice Dr. in Hazard. The campaign also builds momentum for the Special Olympics Kentucky State Summer Games, scheduled for June 5-7 at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, where more than 1,100 athletes from across Kentucky are expected to compete in bocce, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer and track and field.

Special Olympics Kentucky says it serves more than 11,300 athletes statewide, making the annual fundraiser more than a cruiser-covered display. In Hazard, it linked public safety, local visibility and direct support for Kentucky athletes preparing for one of the organization’s biggest events of the year.