Laughing to the Bank: SPPD Makes $7,680 from Comedy Fundraiser

Scotch Plains Police made a big haul Wednesday afternoon. But this one came without a search warrant.

Outside the police department's headquarters at the Scotch Plains Municipal Building, Jason and Steve Parker, brothers and co-owners of K9 Resorts in Fanwood, presented an oversize, $7,680 check to police chief Brian Mahoney, Sgt. Ted Conley and K9 officer Chris Aversa. The money will go toward the department's Foundation, which helps pay for equipment not otherwise covered by the township's municipal budget.

"It was excellent that the foundation's really kicked in for us," Detective Lt. Brian Donnelly, the Scotch Plains Police Department's public information officer, said in a telephone interview. "It allows us to get equipment in these trying times." 

The funds were proceeds of the foundation's comedy show fundraiser at Shackamaxon Country Club July 27. Nearly 160 officers, residents and their families attended the benefit, Steve Parker said in a telephone interview, contributing close to three times the amount the Parkers and the police department raised at last year's event, a comedy show at the Stage House restaurant on Park Avenue.

"We did a lot better than we expected," Parker said. 

Parker and his brother, lifelong Scotch Plains residents, said they became involved in raising money for the Scotch Plains Police Department because of the often close relationship between dogs and policing. "We feel that because we are a hotel for dogs, in a place that has police dogs, we can help out the community and help dogs as well," Parker said. 

Last year's event at the Stage House was geared specifically toward the department's new K9 unit. The money, about $2,600, Parker said, bought bulletproof vests for the police dogs. This year, the money can be used for almost anything the department needs. 

Donnelly said that Chief Mahoney was "quite pleased" with the results. "The Parkers have been excellent in this whole thing," he said. "We're fortunate in Scotch Plains to have great citizens and great business owners...who take pride in the police." He also explicitly thanked Ted Schiller and Bob Fallon, who serve as trustees for the foundation. 

Parker said that he and his brother have partnered with the Fanwood Police Benevolent Association for another comedy fundraiser at Shackamaxon, this one taking place Friday, Nov. 12. Stay tuned to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patch for details as the date approaches.