Curt Seeden: Hungry to help? Fountain Valley events let you eat for a good cause

The safest place you can be in Fountain Valley on April 11 will be the Claim Jumper Restaurant. The place will be swarming with police officers, SWAT team members and firefighters.

That’s because Tip-A-Cop, which raises funds for Special Olympics Southern California, is set for 5 to 9 p.m. at the popular restaurant.

Each year, police officers around the country raise funds to provide year-round athletic programs for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The Fountain Valley Police Department will be selling 50-50 tickets, holding a silent auction and selling Special Olympics commemorative T-shirts and other memorabilia.

The Fountain Valley Fire Department also will be on hand with its classic antique fire truck.

Enjoy dinner or appetizers and meet some Orange County Special Olympians, who along with police personnel will be your servers for the evening.

And don’t forget to save room for Claim Jumper’s amazing Mother Lode Chocolate Cake.

Fountain Valley’s support for Special Olympics runs deep.

Ed Arnold, a longtime Fountain Valley resident and television personality, is one of the founding board members for Special Olympics Southern California and remains active with the organization.

Additionally, Fountain Valley is a regular venue for Special Olympics athletic events. In November, the city welcomed 1,100 Special Olympians from across Southern California who competed for medals and ribbons in golf, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.

Fountain Bowl has played host to the Special Olympics Southern California bowling championships,

And four years ago, you may remember, the city of Fountain Valley was an official “Host Town” for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games held in Los Angeles. Fountain Valley hosted the Special Olympics contingent from The Netherlands.

Back to the April 11 event, those attending will get an up-close look at the West County SWAT team truck. The regional Special Weapons and Tactics team serves the cities of Cypress, Los Alamitos, Westminster, Seal Beach and Fountain Valley.

You’ll also be treated to a K9 demonstration featuring the FVPD’s newest police dog, Kimbo.

If you attend, you’ll no doubt run into lots of people you know. I’ll be there watching all my friends indulge in all the great food and fun.

However, I’m skipping the Mother Lode Cake, because you can’t have your cake and edit too.

And speaking about eating for a good cause: one last reminder about this Saturday’s Taste of Fountain Valley.

The food and wine festival, a fundraiser for the Fountain Valley Schools Foundation, will once again be held on the tennis courts at the Los Cab Sports Village. It’s set for 5:30 to 9 p.m.

This year’s Taste will feature more than 40 restaurants, eateries, caterers, patisseries, bakeries and specialty foods from Fountain Valley and nearby cities. The event will feature the region’s wineries, breweries and live musical entertainment.

Additionally, the fundraiser will offer “full” pours, as well as musical entertainment, a silent auction and a drawing.

General admission is $45 per person. This is an adult-only event, however, on-site child care will be available for $15 per child, ages eight weeks to 12 years.

Los Cab is at 17272 Newhope St. Parking is free. For more information, email: tasteoffv@gmail.com