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Tip-A-Cop to raise cash for Clay County Special Olympics

By Don Coble don@claytodayonline.com
Posted 3/2/23

ORANGE PARK – Don’t be surprised when your steak is served by a person wearing a badge and semi-automatic handgun next week at Texas Roadhouse.

The annual Tip-A-Cop program will raise money to …

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Tip-A-Cop to raise cash for Clay County Special Olympics


Posted

ORANGE PARK – Don’t be surprised when your steak is served by a person wearing a badge and semi-automatic handgun next week at Texas Roadhouse.

The annual Tip-A-Cop program will raise money to send Clay County athletes to the Florida Special Olympic games in May. Law enforcement employees will be refilling glasses, serving meals and greeting hungry customers at the door at the popular steakhouse at 550 Blanding Blvd. from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7 through March 9.

“Tuesday is kids’ night, so we’ll have our Cops Unit out in the parking lot,” said Clay County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Zachary Cox, who organizes the county’s Special Olympics organization. “We will add to what Texas Roadhouse already does. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Cox said that deputies and agency civilians would volunteer to work at the restaurant, and all tips they receive will go toward Special Olympics. A year ago, Clay County finished among the top 10 in the state for donations toward Special Olympics.

“Every year, we want to exceed what we collected a year ago,” Cox said, “and that’s our goal again this year.”

The only other fundraising project for Special Olympics is the sale of T-shirts for the Torch Run. The torch will pass through all 67 counties in Florida, including Clay County on April on Fleming Island.

Today, more than 97,000 law enforcement members carry the “Flame of Hope” annually, symbolizing courage and the celebration of diversity uniting communities around the globe.

But it’s more than a symbolic gesture, Cox said. Each step is a chance to “light” the way for millions of intellectually challenged athletes and shed light on the games’ powerful message of inclusion and togetherness. Cox said that the Flame of Hope is something we all carry, a spark to do good in our community wherever we go.

This year’s State Games will be May 19-21 at the Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista. Money collected will go toward travel, hotels and meals.