Law enforcement and Special Olympics athletes participate in torch run
The Bonners Ferry leg of the 2024 statewide Law Enforcement Torch Run took place on Monday, May 20, on the South Hill.
Local Law enforcement and Special Olympics athletes gathered early Monday morning for the local leg of the annual torch run. The run began on the South Hill and ended at Boundary County Middle School.
As the group jogged through town with the torch leading the way, drivers of passing cars honked in support and waved out their windows.
“It was great seeing the Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit Special Olympics Idaho going through Bonners again,” Boundary County Sheriff Dave Kramer said. “Boundary County Sheriff’s Deputy Nick Delavan worked with Special Olympics Idaho to organize the start of the torch run in Bonners Ferry this year, where several representatives of different law enforcement agencies joined in to get the torch started on its journey to the state Special Olympic Games.”
The mission of the Law Enforcement Torch Run is to increase awareness and raise funds for Special Olympics. The program began in 1981 when a Kansas police chief sought to increase awareness of Special Olympics. He also saw it as a good way to get local law enforcement personnel involved in the Special Olympics community.
“It is such a great cause, and the partnership between law enforcement as “Guardians of the Flame” for Special Olympic Athletes and the support shown in Boundary County always stands out. Some of the law enforcement officers from out of the area that were here for the torch run remarked about what a great community Boundary County is,” Kramer said about the event.
On the group’s website, torch run officials said the event has raised over $1 billion since it started and changed millions of attitudes.
Special Olympics Idaho has celebrated 50 years of service to the state’s athletes. Its mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
The 2024 state summer games are June 7-8.
For more information about Law Enforcement Torch Run, go online to letr.org. For more information about Special Olympics Idaho, go online to specialolympicsidaho.org.
2024 Law Enforcement Torch Run