Windsor police are pitching in to support Special Olympics Ontario.
Officers took park in 'Pack for a Purpose' yesterday at The Great Canadian Superstore on Walker Road, which raises money for the event. Police were on hand bagging groceries along side athletes.
This is the fourth year of the fundraiser and Constable Cealia Gagnon says it's a team effort.
.@WindsorPolice & @SpecialOlympics athletes hard at work. Pack for a Purpose raises money for athletes like Lasalle's Matt Cormier. #cklw pic.twitter.com/pyas2gyAGE
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) April 15, 2017
"Athletes are from LaSalle, Windsor Special Olympics and we also have some from the Caboto Club and Warriors come and help us out too. We have a really good athlete family with our Special Olympics team," says Gagnon. "If it wasn't for these guys I don't know how well we would all do."
Special Olympic Medallist Matthew Cormier says events like 'Pack for a Purpose' do more than raise money. He says it's a chance to get out into the community.
"Events like this are really nice for the athletes. It gets us involved in the community and gets us time with our law enforcement partners from the Special Olympics torch run," says Cormier.
Gagnon says the money raised is imperative for athletes like Cormier. She says they topped last year's total of $4,600 — pulling in more than $5,200 for local athletes.