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Officers take to the roof of Walmart on an annual basis to raise money for Special Olympics.

Cop On Top Returns to Pittsfield On Dec. 1

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Cop on Top will return to the roof of the local Walmart on Dec. 1.
 
In a fundraiser for the Special Olympics, law enforcement officers from throughout the county will be camp out on the roof Walmart in the Berkshire Crossings shopping plaza. The officers will stay there until the goal of $55,000 is reached.
 
There will be food, prize raffles, and giveaways in the parking lot during the event. There will also be numerous police vehicles on display.
 
"The event will kick off at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, with the Pittsfield Fire Department hosting the first brave group of officers on the roof and local Special Olympic athletes will light the ceremonial Special Olympic cauldron that will burn throughout the event," reads a release sent out by Pittsfield Police Investigator John Bassi.
 
The event is in its ninth year as part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Program. In the last five years, Bassi said local officers have raised more than $500,000 for Special Olympics through a series of events. Cop on Top is the organization's longest standing program to be launched by local officers and it led police to add more events throughout the year.
 
"The Berkshire County LETR Program is the highest grossing fundraising program in the state of Massachusetts," Bassi said.
 
The money goes to Special Olympics Massachusetts and allows some 600 athletes from Berkshire County to participate at no cost because of the fundraising efforts.
 
In March, the Law Enforcement Torch Run's polar plunge will return. Hardy area residents will take a dip in the icy cold waters of Onota Lake to raise another $100 each for the program. The organization added a super plunge option so those who want to raise $1,000 can take a plunge every hour for 24 hours.
 
The super plungers will start on Saturday, March 30. The polar plungers will take their dip on Sunday, March 31.
 
Those are the two largest events for the organization but it sprinkles a number of other fundraisers throughout the year. 

Tags: fundraiser,   polar plunge,   Special Olympics,   torch run,   

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Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
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