Officers and support staff with the 2014 Cops for Kids team from the South Okanagan stopped in Oliver Saturday morning for some food and community support at the Oliver Fire Hall. (Keith Lacey photo)
The smile on the faces of the children they help make it all worthwhile for the police officers and support staff who have made the Cops for Kids fundraising event such a huge success over the past 14 years, says 2014 ride captain Julio Krenz.
A total of 15 police officers from across southeast British Columbia and six support staff were in Oliver and Osoyoos on Saturday.
Officers cycling in the 10-day event, which kicked off in Kelowna on Friday morning and will cover more than 1,000 kilometres in 10 days, made a brief pit stop for food, water and publicity at the Oliver Fire Hall Saturday morning.
Cops for Kids in the South Okanagan was formed after several Cops for Cancer chapters were opened in other parts of the province, said Krenz.
“Cops for Kids has its own board of directors and that board decides where every penny of the money raised will go,” said Krenz. “This is all about helping kids in crisis and their families and we’re very proud of the work we’ve accomplished over the past 14 years.”
Cops for Kids has raised more than $2.4 million in the last 13 years and organizers are hoping for a fundraising record during this year’s event, he said.
About half of the 15 officers who are participating in this year’s event were in Oliver, while the other half rode up past Richter Pass and travelled through Keremeos and Cawston on Saturday.
The entire group planned to continue their journey on Sunday and head to Grand Forks and then on to Castlegar and Cranbrook before returning to Kelowna for the finish this coming Sunday at noon.
The selected officers, who volunteer to participate in the event, train for several months to get ready for the grueling event that includes plenty of climbing challenging mountain passes on a regular basis, said Krenz.
Officers are given 40 hours of special leave to participate in the event and some have to take some vacation time as well to participate, he said.
The officers who participate in Cops for Kids are constantly reminded that they are enduring this tough physical test to raise money for children in need, said Krenz.
“All they have to do is think about the kids they are helping and they manage to push through,” he said. “It can get very emotional for them because this is a really tough test, but they get to meet a lot of the kids they are helping and it really hits home what this is all about.”
The Thomas Alan Budd Foundation is the official sponsor of this year’s Cops for Kids event.
All money raised will go towards providing awareness and essential funds for children in medical, physical or traumatic crisis, he said.
“We often get calls in the middle of the night … where a mom or dad will call us and tell us their son or daughter had to be rushed to hospital for a medical emergency,” said Krenz. “They are panicking and they have no money to get their kid to hospital. That’s where we jump in and help get them to the hospital, provide accommodations, feed them and make sure everything is taken care of while their child is in hospital.”
Many officers have participated in Cops for Kids for several years because the experience is so rewarding, said Krenz.
“This is a group of individuals who have all come together to make a difference for local children,” he said. “They’ve all been training and fundraising all summer and now they come together as a team to ride rain or shine to raise even more money and awareness for children in our region. They all have a soft spot for kids and want to try and make a difference.”
Numerous community organizations and hotel owners are very supportive of the Cops for Kids event and help donate funds, food and accommodations during the event, he said.
In Oliver, Linda Schaffrick has helped organize the welcoming party at the local fire hall since the event started 14 years ago. Schaffrick and a small group of volunteers made sandwiches and other food to feed the officers and support team at the fire hall before they continued on their long journey.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
This group of police officers participating in the Cops for Kids fundraising ride across the South Okanagan pulled into downtown Oliver Saturday around noon. The event has helped raise more than $2.4 million for children in crisis over the past 14 years. (Keith Lacey photo)
