Klamath Falls, Ore. – The first leg of a relay run to raise money for Special Olympics kicked off Thursday morning in Klamath Falls.
Police Chief David Henslee said cops and Special Olympians started the run at 6am., “we’re going to run the torch today from Vets Park here in Klamath Falls to Ashland.”
The first leg of the relay is a 60 mile crossing of the Cascades to Ashland.
Organizer Ashley Allenby says this it the 30th year the Law Enforcement Torch Run has been held in Oregon, “this torch will actually be run all the way up to Newberg throughout the next week and a half.”
“We’re going to hand the torch off to the next leg of the relay.” Explains Chief Henslee. “We’re actually going to hand it off to the Medford Police Department at Albertson’s in Ashland.” Allenby says the run raises awareness, and money for Special Olympics.
“Annually, we raise over $600,000 for the athletes here in Oregon – this is also a huge awareness raising campaign.”
Runners plan to get the torch to Newberg on July 9th for the Special Olympics Summer State Games.
Over the past 30 years, the Law Enforcement Torch Run has raised nearly $5,500,000 for Special Olympics in Oregon.
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