Petal, Hattiesburg, Forrest Co. police take place in Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run - HubcitySPOKES.com
Officers from Petal Police Department, Hattiesburg Police Department and Forrest County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 22 took place in the annual Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run, the worldwide event that serves as the largest public awareness vehicle and grassroots fundraiser for the Special Olympics.
During the event, law enforcement members and Special Olympics athletes carry the “Flame of Hope” through their cities, marking more than 97,000 members who participate annually. Members of the Petal Police Department, along with Mayor Tony Ducker, began the event in the area that morning starting at Petal City Hall before passing it off at Hattiesburg City Hall.
“The Petal Police Department has been doing it for at least the last 10 years or better,” Ducker said. “The Special Olympics is a great cause that’s dear to so many people’s hearts, and it’s a great program they put on.
“We’re able to play a little bit of a role in it. It’s a great thing for our police department and for our city.”
Including the mayor, police officers and other officials, 13 people took part in Petal’s stretch of the run.
“I made the joke that they waited until I got out of shape becoming mayor,” Ducker said. “I’d seen them do it over the years and said I’d like to participate in that one day.
“It was really nice that there was 13 of us running it, including myself, so it was really neat to have such a high participation rate. Usually, there’s only four, five or six that actually get to run it, so it was really great. There were some pretty good athletes that were a part of that.”
Because of the success of past Torch Run events, Ducker said he would like to see the event become semi-annual.
“I would love to be able to do that every year,” he said. “It was a really neat experience, and it was nice, cool weather.
“I know some of the other groups that are taking it are doing it later in the day, and it’s a little warmer, but our slot’s always been earlier in the morning. So thankfully, it was really great weather.”
Hattiesburg Police Chief Peggy Sealy said her crew always looks forward to the annual event.
“It’s something that we participate in every year, and it’s a great way to help raise awareness for the Special Olympics,” she said. “Any time we can get together with our neighboring agencies and help raise awareness for a good cause, that’s one thing officers at HPD look forward to.”
The concept of Special Olympics began in the early 1960s when Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a day camp for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The mission of the organization 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 the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics Athletes and their communities.
source: https://www.hubcityspokes.com/local-news/petal-hattiesburg-forrest-co-police-take-place-special-olympics-law-enforcement-torch
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