The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Connecticut will make its way across the state on Wednesday, June 5, Thursday, June 6 and passing through Milford and Orange on Friday, June 7.
Local officers and Special Olympics athletes will run, bike and escort the Special Olympics Torch with its “Flame of Home” through Connecticut communities during the three-day event to raise awareness of Special Olympics and its year-round sports, health and fitness programs and to inspire inclusion and acceptance for people of all abilities.
More than 1,500 officers are expected to participate in the annual Torch Run which takes place in the days leading up to the Special Olympics Connecticut Summer Games. Participating officers will cover more than 530 miles as they pass the Torch from town to town.
The start and end locations for the Torch Run Legs are:
Wednesday, June 5: Leg 1 – Old Lyme to Ledyard; Leg 2 – Putnam to Ledyard, with an end-of-day rally at Foxwoods Resort Casino at 350 Trolley Line Blvd. in Mashantucket at 5 p.m.
Thursday, June 6: Leg 3 – North Branford to Wethersfield; Leg 4 – Willimantic to Bloomfield; Leg 4a – Enfield to Glastonbury; Leg 5 – Plymouth to West Hartford; Leg 6 – Naugatuck to West Hartford, with an end-of-day rally at Blue Back Square at 65 Memorial Blvd. in West Hartford at 5 p.m.
Friday, June 7: Leg 7 – Newington to New Haven; Leg 8 – Chester to New Haven; Leg 9 – New Milford to Bethany; Leg 9a – Ridgefield and Wilton; Leg 9b – Monroe to New Haven; Leg 10 – Greenwich to New Haven.
Leg 10 will include Milford and Orange.
There will be a rally at WWE headquarters at 1241 E. Main St. in Stamford at 9:10 a.m., and a final leg procession during Summer Games opening ceremonies at Southern Connecticut State University’s Jess Dow Field at 7:15 p.m. The opening ceremonies event is free and open to the public.
Officers who participate in the final leg of the Torch Run will form a procession and bring the torch onto the field. The flame will be used to light a large cauldron, signifying the vitality and spirit Special Olympics athletes possess and the start of Summer Games weekend, June 7 through June 9.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Connecticut is a year-round effort carried out by officers who support local athletes by organizing fundraisers, raising awareness about Special Olympics in their communities and serving as volunteers at events. Active and retired officers representing municipal departments, state police and correction facilities, military police and federal employees and college and university public safety officers are involved.
To view the routes and schedules for each leg, visit www.soct.org.