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MANISTIQUE -- Schoolcraft County law enforcement hosted a unique fundraiser at Manistique High School.  They're part of the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police.  All of the money they raise stays in Schoolcraft County.

The fundraiser involved donkey basketball.  The donkeys come from Dairyland Donkey Ball, and the riders come from the school system and local businesses and organizations.

“It's a little bit of everything,” explains spectator, Scott Sprader.  “You know, it's great for my son to come out and watch mom play a little bit of basketball and get to laugh.  And I get to see people that I haven't seen for many years.”

Tickets to get in cost $7 or $8, and the officers are hoping to raise $1,000 to $1,500.  They also raise money from the cake auction and concessions.

From the game to halftime, it was pretty hard to not be entertained.

“It was fun because the donkeys were bucking people off and making them slide down," said spectator Carson Sprader.

But it was more than a fundraiser.  It was also a way to get away from real-life worries for a few hours.

“With times like this, with the economy, things like that, it's nice to have stuff to come in from outside that makes people forget about what's going on in their lives.  It helps us all have a little bit of fun," Scott Sprader said.

And what does it mean for the officers?

“What it does is it gets us out in the community, dressed down, out of our uniforms,” said Tim Russell of the Fraternal Order of Police.  “It's a small area, and most people know us anyway.  But it just gives us a chance to interact and have some fun with them and have an event with all ages."

The officers plan on distributing the money to local committees, scholarships, and to the annual celebration, Folk Fest.  They'll also be hosting a new program with children near Christmas called Shop with a Cop.