Lauderdale County Sheriff’s deputies, Meridian police officers, Metro ambulance personnel and other first responders celebrated the community’s special needs athletes Tuesday morning with the annual Special Olympics Torch Run in downtown Meridian.
Beginning at Dumont Plaza and ending at the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, the yearly event celebrates athletes with special needs as they prepare to take part in the Special Olympics of Mississippi Summer Games.
“The law enforcement torch run kind of started as a grassroots movement to support the Special Olympics,” said Kara Clark, who organizes the event. “We go out, we do these things like these runs that we’re doing today to promote to the community and show our awareness and our support for the Special Olympics.”
The torch run begins in North Mississippi each year and moves south with different law enforcement agencies taking part in the event. Eventually, the torch reaches the coast where the Summer Games are usually held at Keesler Air Force base in Biloxi.
Tuesday’s event celebrated athletes from the Queen City region, including Lauderdale, Kemper, Clarke and Newton counties. In total, more than 7,000 athletes compete in Mississippi Special Olympics each year.
Sheriff Ward Calhoun said his department has been a part of the torch run for more than 20 years. It serves as an opportunity to encourage local athletes who will be competing in the games.
“This is done all across our state in different areas, where law enforcement has partnered with Special Olympics in order to encourage those athletes who are going on to the state level and then some even from our area have gone on nationally to compete,” he said. “It’s just a great way for us to encourage them and we appreciate the opportunity to be engaged the Special Olympics community.”
Anyone interested in supporting the Special Olympics of Mississippi or its athletes can learn more at specialolympicsms.org. Clark said residents can donate, volunteer or simply cheer on their local athletes as they go to compete.