By Marie Tolonen for Mesabi Tribune (published June 9)
HIBBING/VIRGINIA — Law enforcement officers, emergency responders, Special Olympics athletes, and others are preparing for the Special Olympics Torch Run to raise awareness and show support to hometown athletes and aid in contribution for Range athletes to be able to compete in the Special Olympics.
“We absolutely are looking forward to the Special Olympics Torch Run on June 16,” Virginia Assistant Police Chief Chad Nickila, organizer of the Virginia portion of the run told the Mesabi Tribune via email last week.
Hibbing Police Department Investigator Rachael Shiek is the coordinator for the Hibbing portion of the run, also taking place on June 16.
The Hibbing leg of the run starts at 10:30 a.m. on the corner of First Avenue and Howard Street in Hibbing.
“Our athletes will be joined by the Hibbing Police Department, Hibbing Fire Department and Chisholm Ambulance and we walk down the street to the Hibbing Police Department,” Shiek wrote in an email last week.
The City of Chisholm Ambulance Service has participated in the torch run for about three years now, according to its director Tiffany Larson.
“It’s just so cool to see the whole area come together, and support a ver worth cause,” Larson said. “It’s a fun thing to be a part of and support, and there are great people,” Larson said.
Hibbing High School Band instructor Matt Berg has helped to organize a group of band members who are participating in this year’s event, Shiek noted.
The Virginia leg of the run starts at noon, at the intersection of Chestnut Street and Railroad Avenue in Virginia. From their the route follows Chestnut Street west bound to Fourth Avenue then heads north to Veteran’s Park for lunch, Nickila explained.
Organizers are hoping for more favorable weather this year. Thunderstorms forced the Virginia leg of the 2024 event to be moved indoors to the Iron Trail Convention Center indoor walking track.
“As usual this is an amazing opportunity to spotlight our local athletes before they head to the cities for the summer games,” Nickila said. “We will have representatives from our agency along with the Saint Louis County Sheriff’s Department on hand for the event.
Nickila said he’s unable to attend this year’s run, and regrets he will be missing his favorite part, “hanging out with our local athletes, the Road Runners.”
About the Special Olympics Torch Run
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, according to a history found on the Special Olympics website.
“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,” as stated on the website.
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 $1 billion to support Special Olympics programs. More than 110,000 law enforcement personnel from thousands of agencies around the world have been Guardians of the Flame and carried the Flame of Hope.
More information is available at https://specialolympicsminnesota.org/get-involved/law-enforcement-torch-run/final-leg/
