Cop on Top

Who knew hanging out on a roof could make so much money?

By Linda DeGraw

On October 17 at total of a nine volunteers and athletes from our Special Olympics Moloka’i delegation traveled to Maui for its annual 2008 Cop on Top where law enforcement officers camp out above Safeway stores for three days and two nights. Our Special Olympics Police officer was our very own born and raised Moloka’i Police Officer Nathaniel “Chinky” Hubbard and his family to help us raise the $10,000.00.

The first work day Thursday morning started at 6:00 a.m. and everyone stayed late until 10:30-11:00 p.m. This went on for the next two days. On Molokai, volunteers and athletes also sat out front at Friendly Market asking for donation. 

Friday morning, our very own Maui Princess was nice enough to donate their services to bring in 300 loaves of Moloka’i Bread. There was a line of cars waiting for this very special delivery of fresh bread. That same morning Senator Kaho’ohalahala showed up with a bunch of orders and took a box with him to sell at his meeting. By the time we left that Friday night we had 17 loaves of bread left for Saturday morning.

Saturday we knew that we had our work cut out for us that day in reaching our goal. Both teams kept in constant contact. By that late afternoon both Safeway of Kahului and Kihei officers were down from raising their $10,000.00. By 6:20 p.m. we still had a about a little over two hundred dollars left to reach our goal when Rita got a call from a very dear childhood friend when he said that he and his wife would donate $1,000.00. Rita yelled to our Maui team, “We made it!”

The Lahaina Fire team was there to help bring down Officer Hubbard and all his things that kept him going for those two nights and three days. This year’s Cop on Top was not an easy task. Asking people for money is never easy, no matter how wonderful a cause.   The local people in Lahaina who know that Special Olympics Molokai will bring in their Molokai bread keep showing up every year.

Special Olympics Molokai would like to say MAHALO to all of those who gave from their heart. Molokai team: Tina & David Mokiao, Aunty Linda Raymond, Darlene Heil, Colleen Greenleaf and all those athletes and other family members who gave of their time in front of Friendly Market. Maui team: Aunty Donna & Uncle John Kapu our cooks who took care of our entire home cooked meals. Aunty Mary Igarta who counted all that money in Maui and kept Chinky informed about the total. Athletes: Nathaniel Asano, Sean Ellis, Tom Galano, Theresa Greenleaf and Marcia “Anela” Kekino, who talked constantly for those three day asking for donations. Officer Hubbard, Stefanie and Kekai you all kept me going on and on and on for those three straight days,  MAHALO. And a big mahalo to the Maui Princess and Captain Moran for donating your service in bring in our Special Moloka’i Bread.