On Wednesday morning, local law enforcement and area athletes with Special Olympics Texas gathered at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center to kick off the 2018 Law Enforcement Run.
Wednesday’s ceremony started with a morning prayer and speeches from Special Olympics – South Plains Area organizers and local law enforcement.
This year’s torch was lit and carried by local Marine, Gunnery Sergeant Christopher Martinez, and SOTX athletes Jake Miller and Jeremy Rodriguez. Running with them were men and women from Lubbock Police, Fire, DPS and the Sheriff’s departments.
Lubbock Police officers in marked units and motorcycles guided the group on their run from the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center downtown to the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center near 34th and Avenue Q.
Organizers shared how important and meaningful it is for not only them, but especially the athletes to have local law enforcement agencies involved to support and cheer them on.
“To be able to say, ‘that’s my friend and they see them out in the community but then they seem them out at our events, they get to introduce them as their friend, not just officer or sergeant. They get to form that relationship,” said Ashley Pena, with SOTX South Plains. ” I absolutely love that we have law enforcement so involved, and not just for the Torch Run, we have them year-round.”
“Special Olympics really celebrates the heart of champions, the will of the spirit and for law enforcement to have a part in that is really neat for us,” said Chief Jon Caspell, Assistant Chief of Lubbock Police. “It’s humbling. We ‘re honored to support Special Olympics and these very special athletes, these champions. It’s humbling, it’s neat to be apart of.”
On Saturday, May 26 local torch run officers and area athletes will head to Arlington for the 2018 Special Olympics State Summer Games.
