Kids & Family

Local Gas Station To Raise Funds for Slain West Bloomfield Police Officer

A Wixom Marathon will donate 5 cents per gallon to the Officer O'Rourke Family Trust on Sept. 20-21.

 A Wixom gas station owner has decided to to help the family of Officer Patrick O'Rourke, a 12-year veteran of the West Bloomfield Police Department, who was fatally shot in the line of duty this past week.

A fundraiser has been scheduled for Sept. 20-21 at the Marathon Gas Station at 29330 Wixom Road, just north of the I-96 Wixom Road exit, across from the Wixom Auto Plant.

Station Owner Eddie Osman will open his doors at 6 a.m. Thursday and donate 5 cents of every gallon purchased by Marathon customers to the Officer O'Rourke Family Trust, which will benefit the health, education and welfare of his family. The fundraiser will go through Friday night.

Free coffee, donuts and hot dogs will also be offered to customers during the two-day event.

O'Rourke, 39, of Fenton, was killed on Sept. 9 in the line of duty by a man barricaded in his home at the North Woods Forest subdivision near the intersection of Halsted and Pontiac Trail. O'Rourke left behind a family of three elementary school-age daughters and one infant son, and his widow, Amy. Thousands gathered to mourn O'Rourke at his funeral in Fenton on Friday.

The trust fund was established by West Bloomfield Township officials. In addition to his 5-cent a gallon donation, Osman also will collect additional donations from his Marathon customers during the fundraiser. Corporate sponsors Marathon Oil Company and Atlas Oil Company already have made cointributions to the Marathon fundraiser. Residents also can donate directly to the trust fund at any Bank of America branch or online at westbloomfieldhero.com.

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