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Cook County Law Enforcement to participate in the Flame of Hope Torch Run

Sep 13, 2021 05:15PM ● By Editor
From Cook County Law Enforcement - September 13, 2021

Law enforcement personnel from around Minnesota will run in the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg for Special Olympics Minnesota (SOMN) from Sept. 20-24, 2021. Over 70 different agencies will relay the “Flame of Hope” more than 2,000 miles across Minnesota.

The Flame of Hope will start the trek at the US/Canadian Border on September 20th at approximately 1230. Runners and bikers will carry the Flame to Grand Marais with a walk, through downtown at 3:30 with special guests. The Flame will leave town and make its way to Tofte. On the morning of the 21st, the Flame will head to the County line where it will proceed on its journey. We welcome all people to come to the downtown area to celebrate this event on September 20th at 3:30 pm.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Minnesota’s mission and the goal of the Final Leg is to raise funds for, and awareness of, Special Olympics Minnesota and its athletes. Typically, the Final Leg concludes at Special Olympics Minnesota’s Summer Games event. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Final Leg will not conclude at the games, which were held earlier in the summer on a much smaller scale.

About Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics
The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics began in 1981 in Wichita, Kansas when Police Chief Richard LaMunyon saw an urgent need to raise funds for, and increase awareness of, Special Olympics. The idea for the Torch Run was to provide local law enforcement officers with an opportunity to volunteer with Special Olympics in the communities where the officers lived and worked. After three successful years in Kansas, Chief LaMunyon presented his idea to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which endorsed Special Olympics as its official charity through the Torch Run.

Law enforcement from all 50 United States, 10 Canadian provinces and territories and 35 nations carry the Flame of Hope in honor of Special Olympics athletes in their area and around the world. The Flame of Hope symbolizes courage and celebration of diversity and the inclusion of all people around the world. The Torch Run is the largest grassroots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics in the world. This international program has raised over $600 million to support Special Olympics programs. More than 97,000 law enforcement personnel from thousands of agencies around the world have been Guardians of the Flame and carried the Flame of Hope.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run® (LETR) is the largest grassroots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics in the World. The Minnesota LETR is supported by the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police.


About Special Olympics Minnesota
Special Olympics Minnesota empowers athletes with intellectual disabilities to transform themselves and their communities by providing year-round athletic, health and leadership opportunities. Special Olympics Minnesota is a part of a global movement founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Through this movement, people with intellectual disabilities realize their potential, develop physical fitness, dem
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