More than 50 uniformed Law Enforcement and Correction Officers will gather at the Capitol steps in Lansing at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, May 30 as the Michigan Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) light the Flame of Hope and embark on a 9-hour relay run from Lansing to Mt. Pleasant.
At the Capitol, speakers from Michigan State Police, Michigan Department of Corrections, Department of Natural Resources, Fraternal Order of Police, Michigan Sheriff’s Association, Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and Lansing Police Department will speak on their continued support of the LETR Program and Special Olympics Michigan.
Whitney Ulrich, a Special Olympics Michigan athlete from the local program serving Ingham and Eaton Counties, will be escorted by Lt. Michele Dunlap of the Michigan State Police as they light the Flame of Hope. As the Guardians of the Flame, the LETR volunteers will run the flame to the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics Michigan State Summer Games presented by SpartanNash at 6:15 p.m. Thursday evening in Kelly/Shorts Stadium at Central Michigan University.
LETR volunteers representing different agencies will help carry the flame during the 70-mile journey from Lansing to Mt. Pleasant. At the Opening Ceremony, selected LETR Volunteers and Special Olympics Athletes will carry the torch around Kelly/Shorts Stadium to light the cauldron and declare the Games open.
Special Olympics Michigan’s State Summer Games is one of the world’s largest Special Olympics Summer Games and will take place on the campus of CMU May 30 to June 1. This year’s State Summer Games will see more than 3,000 athletes from nearly all 83 counties in the state. An additional 3,400 coaches, spectators and chaperones will be in attendance in support of the athletes.
The LETR is not just a run. Community based activities and fundraisers take place throughout the year locally and statewide. Some examples of the statewide LETR fundraisers are the Polar Plunge and the Cops on a Rooftop event. Money raised by the Michigan LETR goes to support the year-round sports training and competition for nearly 23,000 participants.
For more information about the 2019 State Summer Games presented by SpartanNash, visit SOMI.org. And keep tabs on the State Summer Games on social media with the hashtag #SOMISG on Twitter and Instagram, and on Facebook at facebook.com/specialolympicsmichigan.
