For the second year, law enforcement officers across Missouri spent hours out on Dunkin' Donuts rooftops Friday to support Special Olympics.
Starting at 5 a.m., officers from local law enforcement agencies collected donations at the Dunkin' Donuts restaurant on Missouri Boulevard, hoping to top $20,000 in donations statewide for the Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit Special Olympics Missouri.
Jefferson City police officer Adam Lueckenhoff was one of those taking shifts on top and then on the ground collecting donations. He worked the road overnight before helping with the effort.
"The joy and excitement in all the Special Olympics athletes is why I do this," he said. "It brings joy into my heart, and anything I can do to help provide this avenue for them to compete and get to do what everyone else gets to do is what I want to do."
Lueckenhoff said often people who look slightly different get looked at wrong, so the Special Olympics gives them the chance to do activities just like normal children get to do. He has helped hand out medals at the games and goes to the Miracle League games on Fridays at Binder Park.
Also on the roof Friday was Department of Corrections case worker Adam Koestner, who said he got involved in Special Olympics in 2008 when he participated in the Polar Plunge, a major fundraiser for the organization.
"Later, I had niece who was born with Down syndrome and I realized Special Olympics was going to be a part of my life, and I decided to get even more involved," he said.
Koestner has done the Polar Plunge every year since 2008 and has participated in numerous Torch Runs and Tip a Cop events to help support the cause.
"It is an indescribable feeling helping these kids out," he said. "You honestly feel like a rock star, but really they are the rock stars."