HELENA — Mackenzie River Pizza Co., law enforcement agencies, and Special Olympics athletes banded together on Tuesday for Tip-A-Cop. The event has a big impact on everyone involved.
Officers from the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s office, Helena police department, and Montana Highway Patrol took orders and donated their tips to Special Olympics Montana. They volunteer their time to give back to this community that is near and dear to their hearts.
“It's just a natural partnership, the athletes, they're not athletes to us, they're family, they're our friends, they're the ones that are cheering us on more so than we're even cheering them on, which is surprising,” said Sgt. Domingo Leveque-Zapata of the Helena Police Department. “Watching how much they compete and how much they go through all their trials and tribulations just to succeed in their areas is an inspiration for us to continue to do as well as we do in our profession.”
Montana law enforcement agencies are strong supporters of Special Olympics, holding multiple fundraising events like the Law Enforcement Torch Run.
Tip-A-Cop occurs each year across Montana, usually falling on different days. This year, however, they all happen on the same day as each restaurant competes to see who raises the most money.
Montana will send 46 athletes to compete in the 2026 games in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where they will compete in a wide variety of sports.
To celebrate the event, Mackenzie River offers a special pizza called the Guardian, and two dollars of every Guardian pizza sold is donated to Montana Special Olympics, with 100% of the profit staying in Montana for Montana Special Olympics.
60% of the funds from the day stay in the local area for athletes, and 40% stays in Montana for the whole program.
“Special Olympics is a really big part of what we do at Mackenzie River Pizza,” said Allison Collins, Regional Manager for Mackenzie River Pizza Company. “It's a part of our community in all of our restaurants, serving the needs of Special Olympic Athletes, so we're really excited to be raising money for them.”
Over 20 athletes helped around the restaurant, and they enjoyed it just as much, if not more than, the officers who volunteer.
“I do throwing, soccer, bowling, and jumping because it's fun,” said Tanner Davis, a Special Olympics Athlete.
It's easy as pie to support Special Olympics Montana. More info about how to donate or volunteer can be found here.
