Belvidere law enforcement hosts Special Olympics Torch Run

By Anne Eickstadt

the Belvidere Police Department, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department, and athletes from the community ran with Special Olympics athletes through Belvidere on June 10 as they participated in the 2018 Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Editor

Members of the Belvidere Police Department, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department, and athletes from the community ran with Special Olympics athletes through Belvidere on June 10 as they participated in the 2018 Law Enforcement Torch Run.

The run started with Belvidere Police Chief Woody carrying the Special Olympics Torch for the first stretch before he passed it on to the next torchbearer. The torch can only be carried by law enforcement officers and by Special Olympics athletes. The event ranged three miles to the Belvidere High School track before returning to where the starting point at Jack Wolf Auto Group.

“It’s nice to see everyone come out on a rainy morning to support the police department,” said Mayor Mike Chamberlain. “It’s another great community event.”

Unusual for runners, this was not a race with everyone traveling at their own pace; this was a cooperative event, with everyone sticking together in a group, more or less. The Torch Run is based on the way that Special Olympics athletes support and encourage each other, sticking together to make sure everyone runs safely through the neighborhood and completes the course. Everyone wins, when the running community is willing to collaborate to support other athletes.

The Belvidere Police and Boone County Sheriff’s Deputies are trying to grow the numbers of runners each year to increase support for the Special Olympics of Illinois. The money raised for this event will go to provide the Special Olympic athletes with year round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

The Torch Run route began at Jack Wolf Auto Group, 1615 N. State Street to the Belvidere High School. They maintained a ten-minute mile pace. They were prepared with….

For complete article, pick up the June 24 BDR.