Apollo May Daze raised over $1,000 for new police car radios, computers

Given Apollo’s tight budget, borough officials and the Apollo Events Committee are raising money to buy new police radios and computers for several borough police cars.

The committee fronted about $850 from fees collected from Wheel Good Wednesday food truck events in the borough to buy T-shirts to kick off the police equipment fundraising campaign, according to Jen Mullins, an Apollo councilwoman and committee member.

During last weekend’s inaugural Apollo May Daze, a community celebration, the committee sold the T-shirts for $15 and hoodies for $30. They collected $1,185, Mullins said.

The T-shirts are still available, she said.

The cost for the updated police computers and radios is around $4,500, according to Mark Tarle, council vice president.

The North Vandergrift Slovak Club donated more than $2,000, and the East Vandergrift Slovak club gave $100, according to Tarle and Mayor Cindee Virostek.

Tarle said, “The Slovak clubs’ donations made a big difference to get us closer to our goal.”

Virostek would like to see more residents and businesses kick in some money.

“This equipment is needed, and the only way to obtain it is through donations,” she said.

With the new equipment, police officers will be able to send citations to the magistrate’s office directly from their cars. The equipment will provide much-needed efficiencies, freeing up time for police to be out in the community, Virostek and Tarle said.