Putnam County law enforcement to carry 'Flame of Hope'

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Local law enforcement officers will come together to carry the "Flame of Hope" as a part the Special Olympics Indiana Putnam County Law Enforcement Torch Run on Friday, May 20.

"It is such a great tribute to the partnership between our agencies to be able to work on this project to benefit the athletes of our local communities," said Capt. Charles Inman, an officer with the Greencastle Police Department and the Putnam County Law Enforcement coordinator for the event.

Inman noted that officers from a number of Putnam County public safety agencies would be participating in the run, including the Greencastle Police Department and Putnam County Sheriff's Office, as well as students in the Area 30 Career Center Law Enforcement program.

With a start time of 12:15 p.m., participants will step off from the gazebo at the intersection of Calbert Way and State Road 240 and travel west down Indianapolis Road to Veterans Memorial Highway, then turn north on Bloomington Street/U.S. 231. The route will continue north on Bloomington Street before turning east onto Tennessee Street.

Participants will carry the torch to the final destination of Putnam County Comprehensive Serv-ices, 630 Tennessee St.

"This will be our 10th year participating in this event," said Inman. "We are inviting community members to line the route and cheer on our runners in their efforts and in support of local athletes representing Putnam County in the 2011 Summer Games taking place in Terre Haute, June 3-5."

To join the torch run, each participant is required to raise a minimum of $30 in pledges, all of which will benefit Special Olympics Indiana. In support of this event, Inman reported that participating local officers are sponsored each year by the Putnam County Fraternal Order of Police.

Since 1987, law enforcement officers from around Indiana have been carrying the torch to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics athletes as part of the Indiana Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Previously, an annual relay run carried the "Flame of Hope" from the Final Leg Kickoff Ceremony at Victory Field in Indianapolis along U.S. 40 to the Indiana State University campus in Terre Haute for the annual Special Olympics Indiana Summer Games.

This year throughout the month of May, law enforcement officers will carry the torch around the state as part of events that will countdown to the 42nd Annual Summer Games. The Putnam County Torch Run will be the one of several regional torch runs held in Special Olympics Indiana communities throughout the state. Then, on June 3, officers and Special Olympics athletes will gather at Victory Field in Indianapolis, home of the Indianapolis Indians baseball team. Officers will light a cauldron with the "Flame of Hope" and the first events of the 2011 Games will take place. Later in the day, officers will run the torch to the campus of Indiana State University, marking the official start of the Games.

For more information regarding the Putnam County Law Enforce-ment Torch Run, persons may contact Capt. Inman at 848-1637.

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