By Mike Smith
Associated Press Writer
INDIANAPOLIS- A charity that sponsored a bike ride in which two police officers were killed last month received a $1 million donation Wednesday.
The Bloomington-based medical device maker Cook Group made the donation to the Indiana Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors, a support group for the families of police officers killed in the line of duty.
The donation came 15 days after Indiana State Police Sgt. Gary Dudley, 51, and former Lake County Police Chief Gary Martin, 63, were killed Aug. 22 when a support van spun into them on an western Indiana highway after being hit from behind by a box truck. They were among a group of 10 cyclists riding to raise money for the Indiana chapter of COPS.
Dudley had organized the 1,100-mile trek.
His wife, Carolyn, said she was ``very overwhelmed’’ after the donation was announced at the Indiana Police and Fire Memorial across from the Statehouse before dozens of people, including police officers, Gov. Mitch Daniels and members of the charity.
``This is an organization that Gary obviously believed in -- both Garys believed very strongly in -- and I feel like their mission has been accomplished today,’' Carolyn Dudley said.
``The citizens of Indiana have just been tremendous. I always loved living in Indiana, but the support has just been overwhelming even before today with the Cook Group,’' she said.