Police raised funds for Special Olympics programs at the Yardmen Arena

By Melchizedek Maquiso

BELLEVILLE, Ont. (15/02/12) - Const. Rene Aubertin, 2nd from left, poses for a photograph with Const. Adam Donaldson and volunteers (left to right) Eric Kelly and Matt Palmer during the Law Enforcement Torch run fundraiser event held at the Yardmen Arena. Aubertin is the Community Policing Liaison officer in charge of the event. Photo by Melchizedek Maquiso.

Sixteen police officers rounded up the stands Wednesday night at the Yardmen Arena shortly after the opening puck drop between the Belleville Bulls and the Ottawa 67’s.

They were not there to arrest anyone.  Instead of guns, they used buckets.

The police passed the buckets to spectators in the hopes of raising funds that will go towards Special Olympics programs.

The fundraising is being done province-wide in hockey arenas where there are Ontario Hockey League (OHL) teams.

Mary Wilson, one of several outgoing community coordinators, said they are not expecting to raise a specific amount.

“If the fans here are generous, that’s excellent.  We don’t put a dollar figure on it.  We want them to know that Special Olympics is still alive and well and that our athletes are competing and they’re going to higher levels of competition.  It’s putting the Special Olympics name out there into the community and keeping it out there in the community.”

Organizers at the event did not want to talk about how much funds were raised in the past years.

“Every year is different.  We’re always happy with the funds that we get,” said Rene Aubertin, Belleville Police community policing liaison officer who has been involved in the Special Olympics for close to a decade and was in charge of manning the fundraising event at the arena.

Regardless of the amount raised, the organizers are confident that it will help athletes to go and participate in the games.

“Whatever the amount raised, the money goes provincially and it is dispersed to the local groups depending on how many athletes they have in each region,” said Aubertin.

According to Sarah Hoover, another community coordinator, the province of Ontario has around 1,000 Special Olympics athletes and the Quinte region has 125.  All would be able to benefit from the fund-raising.

The fundraising is in its sixth year.