CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Community members gathered at the Portuguese American Club in Chicopee on Sunday to show support for Chicopee Police Officer Mark Wilkes.

More than one month after he suffered a major heart attack after a charity hockey game on March 13th friends, colleagues, and family members gathered for a banquet to help the officer and his family.

22News spoke with the Chicopee Public Information Officer Travis Odiorne who says Wilkes is still in the hospital. “It’s been up and down. He’s back in the ICU again right now, so it’s day-to-day for him really at this point. It’s great to see the community support that we’ve gotten for him. Everybody is coming out, it’s really good, it shows that he’s respected throughout the community and we really appreciate all the help that we have gotten from everybody.”

The fundraising event has been in the works for more than three weeks after the Portuguese Club reached out the police department to learn how they could help. Travis says the outpouring of support from the community and all the donations they received to make this banquet possible.

It means a lot to officer Wilkes’ family and the Chicopee Police Department.