raham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette The Copper Country will experience its first Dunkin' Donuts Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser for Special Olympics this Friday. Cop on Rooftop fundraiser for Special Olympics

HOUGHTON – Dunkin’ Donuts and local law enforcement agencies are teaming up for “Cop on a Rooftop,” a fundraiser that will take place from 6 a.m. to Noon, Friday Dunkin’ Donuts in Houghton, 501 Memorial Drive in Houghton.

Cop on a Rooftop is a nationwide fundraising event in support of the Special Olympics Torch Run. The funds support programs for Special Olympics athletes.

“Dunkin’ Donuts coordinates with Special Olympics and all the local law enforcement agencies to raise money for the Torch Run and the Special Olympians,” said Kevin Kane, regional supervisor for TMart, the franchise group which operates Dunkin’, Baskin-Robbins, Cousin Subs, A&W and Rocky Rococo locations throughout the country.

Houghton City Police Lieutenant Nick Roberts said while the event is still coming together, he expects most of the county’s law enforcement agencies will participate.

“Depending on who we can get there, we may have a donut-eating contest, and a basketball throw with some Special Olympic athletes,” Roberts said. “We’ll also have some fire departments with ladder trucks there.”

Because Dunkin’ Donuts opened its first Houghton location last October, Friday’s event will be the first of its kind locally. Nationally, Cop on a Rooftop is a popular event.

“In approximately five to six hours, our company, with its 70 locations, will raise more than $100,000. Not bad for five hours,” Kane said. “Cop on a Rooftop started out years and years ago as part of the fundraising. Cops would get up on the roof and lower buckets, things like munchkin drops for someone to try to catch it in their mouth.”

While this is the first of its kind in Houghton, Kane said there is already competition to see which U.P. location can raise the most money on Friday.

“Iron Mountain plays hard, too,” Kane said. “They want to raise more money than Houghton’s store.”

Kane said he is not worried, when he considers the Houghton location and the traffic that passes through.