O’Fallon police, metro-east businesses make sure Special Olympians can travel in style

A monthly Fun Night for exceptional people turned into a community celebration to remember on Friday.

Thanks to the O’Fallon Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 198 and local businesses, the largest Special Olympics team in the area, from the Parent Teacher Organization for Exceptional Children group, now has a custom-designed special 14-passenger bus to meet its transportation needs.

“We found out a local Special Olympics group was in dire need of transportation, for what they had was in poor condition and not wheelchair accessible, and their budget did not allow them to make the necessary upgrades,” said FOP President Brian Gimpel.

“We had several businesses with a hand in making this happen and making this bus even better than how we purchased it,” Gimpel said.

The PTOEC group competes in the Illinois Special Olympics Region J, which provides programming for people in Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, St. Clair, and Washington counties. They include 1,170 athletes of the state’s 23,316 total.

“Friends and families of the PTOEC were in awe and full of raw emotion when the surprise was unveiled,” said police detective Nick Schmidt, who is now the coordinator for Special Olympics.

“This was a project we knew would have significant meaning for us and PTOEC, but until the reveal and seeing the athletes’ reactions as well as their families’ reaction, it really hit on how big this really was,” Gimpel said.

“We had athletes thanking us for this bus, some because they had transportation now and others because their friends who were in wheelchairs now had transportation,” he said.

“The positive attitudes of these athletes is contagious and you just can’t help but want to help them more. If only society could watch and copy their behavior, we would be in a much better time in this country.”

Kelly Wettig, PTOEC president, said in the past, they rented vehicles that would accommodate anyone with a physical limitation.

“This bus allows us to support our athletes with getting them to Special Olympics events whether it is local or further away. The whole PTOEC organization is excited for this generous donation to help the lives of many. We had many smiles, laughter and tears-- by me for sure -- just from pure joy and amazement of the bus reveal,” Wettig said.

“I’m not sure we will ever be able to thank them properly,” she said.

PTOEC are working on a fundraiser to afford a garage to keep the van properly covered, and are holding a Queen of Hearts fundraiser at The Corner Chill and Grill in Belleville.

Schmidt said FOP is happy that they were able to make an impact on the lives of athletes, parents, and coaches.

“This is one of the most rewarding projects I’ve ever been involved with and we’re very grateful to everyone who contributes to our FOP Lodge throughout the year for making this possible,” he said.

FOP received overwhelming support from local businesses to help them be able to make the single largest donation – $25,000 – they have ever made as an organization.

“With the help of a local dealership, we were able to locate and purchase a bus at an auction, through supporter Jim Ford (South Beach Motors, Pontoon Beach). He drove to Nebraska to pick it up and drive it back. and got it to all these other sponsors who had a part in making the bus great,” Gimpel said.

“We found several businesses willing to donate labor and materials to make improvements to the bus as well as wrapping it with a custom design,” he said.

Schmidt said Moreland Auto Body of Lebanon donated their time for repairs to make the bus look new again. Tactical Towing & Recovery Inc. of Belleville towed the bus, at no charge, to Mission Accomplished Tire and Auto in Belleville, who made the bus roadworthy, donating both the tune up and maintenance package to upkeep the bus at no cost.

Southern Bus & Mobility in Breese serviced the wheelchair lift, replaced the roof, and installed additional seats to ensure it was safe for all passengers, at no cost. United Ink of Belleville designed and installed the vinyl bus wrap, donating it to FOP. Romano’s License Service in O’Fallon donated the registration fees and document filing, police reported.

“Unknown to us, there are several things a wheelchair lift needs to be certified to operate safely and correctly. Southern Bus and Mobility owners Tom and Karen Garediss donated the time and material after finding out the story behind the bus and what we were purchasing it for. That was a major cost saving for us and we appreciate their generosity very much,” Gimpel said.

On Sept. 15, the big reveal was arranged, for only the board of directors knew about the van. The surprise took place at PTOEC’s monthly Fun Night in the OPD community room, with the police union and Joe’s Pizza and Pasta in Fairview Heights providing food. At 9 p.m., one of the coaches set up DJ equipment on the patio where the athletes were invited to dance.

The Special Olympics has been a major focus of the O’Fallon Police Department’s outreach.

Gimpel, who was honored in 2020 with the Flame of Hope Award for his efforts, helped raise thousands of dollars for the Law Enforcement Torch Run.

The award is given annually to one law enforcement officer in the state who has demonstrated an unfailing commitment to the Special Olympics and the Torch Run.

As the OPD coordinator during six years from 2013-2019, Gimpel reported they had raised over $200,000 before the pandemic.

“The athletes are so positive and full of happiness – that made it easy to be around them more and more. When you think about the obstacles in their lives they have had to overcome and yet they still have the most amazing outlook on life. They are truly role models for everyone to look up to,” he said.

“They grow in their ability to communicate, do things on their own, build confidence, and for several, they go on to hold full-time jobs and live on their own. Special Olympics Illinois allows them the chance to break down barriers every day, allows these individuals to believe in themselves,” he said. “It gives these individuals a chance to do things they may not otherwise have been able to do.”

A year ago, because of city-wide efforts supporting the Special Olympics, O’Fallon won The Governor’s Cup, and was among four Governor’s Hometown Awards finalists in the state.

Police Chief Kirk Brueggeman said that for his department, the Special Olympics is a great opportunity to work with the community, and the rewards of working with the athletes and the support they receive is why they keep doing it.

On Friday night, the plan was to give the Special Olympics team a tour of the police department, and end the tour in the sallyport, where the bus was displayed. Police officers gave a short presentation and allowed each company that assisted them to describe the work they performed.

“Members of the O’Fallon Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #198 are always looking to give back to our community,” Gimpel said. “This was just one of several community outreach projects our FOP does throughout the year, and it is important for the community to see the type of officers they have serving and protecting.”

“We have a great organization made up of great individuals with great ideas and this is just one example. The FOP is grateful for our friends that helped to make this happen. Not only those businesses listed, but also our friends in the community that support us and help fund these kinds of projects every year,” he said.

Schmidt said the next project for Special Olympics will be a Texas Roadhouse Tip-A Cop at the O’Fallon-Shiloh location on Friday, Sept 29, from 4 to 10 p.m. They will donate a portion of total sales to the torch run and officers will help wait tables trying to earn a little extra tip for the cause.

“Our local Texas Roadhouse has been a great partner for many years, and we hope to see everyone come out. You can donate inside, outside, or at the to-go counter. We will be able to handle cash, checks, or credit cards as well,” he said.