Some drivers waved. Some donated. Some just looked up, surprised to see Hickory Hills police officers smiling down from the roof of a Dunkin’ on 95th Street. For the department, that’s kind of the point.
On Friday, May 16, Officer Daniel Balzhiser and Officer Sylvia Kozielski were among those who climbed up early to greet drivers, hold signs and encourage donations from above.
As part of the annual Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser for Special Olympics Illinois, officers gathered at the Dunkin’ at 7847 W. 95th St. to raise money, connect with community members and support a cause they care deeply about.
“This is our seventh year doing this,” said Chief Adam Gulczynski, who’s seen the event grow into a tradition for both the department and the people they serve. “We’ve got family, friends, and longtime supporters who come back every year.”
Across Illinois, the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Dunkin’ have partnered on Cop on a Rooftop events for 22 years, raising nearly $10 million to support athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Gulczynski said there’s no pressure to hit a certain number.
“We don’t really have a set goal. It’s just about raising as much as we can and getting the community involved,” he said.
Even without a quota, officers bring plenty of energy. They rotate shifts on the roof throughout the morning, depending on the weather.
“Some years it’s been rainy and 50 degrees, other times it’s hot,” Gulczynski said. “So we try to rotate them out, especially if it gets sunny.”
Not everyone is eager to make the climb.
“We don’t make anyone go up there. Some officers don’t like heights,” he said. “But we usually have more volunteers than we need.”
I’ll admit, I thought about it last year. I glanced at the ladder, considered the climb and quickly backed out. This year, I hesitated mentally before even trying. The rooftop may not be for everyone, but the reason behind it absolutely is.
Below the roofline, Colleen Gulczynski, the chief’s wife, helped field donations and talk with passers-by. Many people drove through not knowing exactly what the event was.
She recalled one interaction that stood out.
“There was a woman earlier who donated, probably kind of pressured because it’s officers asking,” Colleen said, laughing. “She was using a credit card, and while I was pulling up the app, she asked, ‘What am I even donating for?’ I told her it was for the kids, Special Olympics. That one just made me laugh.”
That moment turned into something deeper.
“She was like, ‘I feel really good donating about this.’”
For Colleen, the connection is personal.
“I have a niece with Down syndrome, so she’s one of the Special Olympics athletes,” she said. “And we were supporting Special Olympics before she was even born. It’s something we’ve always felt is a call to help with, because it’s people that are born with something they can’t do anything about.”
“And for them to be able to compete the way that you see athletes in high schools and all that kind of stuff and have their own… they have their own thing. They get a sense of pride about what they do, and it’s everything. It’s a lot for them.”
The roof duty comes with sun, stairs and the occasional donut joke — not a typical morning for most officers.
The joke goes back decades, when 24-hour doughnut shops were one of the only late-night options for officers on patrol.
“Most officers don’t eat them,” one joked about the donuts. “There’s that old stereotype, but really it’s just because Dunkin’ used to be one of the only places open 24 hours. That’s how the whole thing started.”
As families stopped by, some donating and others just waving, one sentiment kept coming up. This didn’t feel like just a fundraiser. It felt like community.
“It’s just good to be out here with our Hickory Hills family,” said Eve Eenigenburg, executive assistant of the Hickory Hills Police Department. “That’s what it feels like, and that’s what it’s supposed to be.”