Officers from the Ottawa Police Department will carry the Special Olympics Kansas Flame of Hope tomorrow, on a 55 mile run/ride. The run in Ottawa will start at the Kansas State Bank North, around 8:30 and end in Empiria. The Torch Run will transition to a Bike Ride at 23rd and Princeton, then continue to Beto Junction, where Ottawa Pi=olice will connect with Lyon County and Emporia Police and ride the rest of the way to Emporia. The run is part of a 1,600 mile journey for the Flame of Hope Across Kansas as part of the Ceremonial 2023 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Kansas.
More than 2,000 officers will take part and raise nearly $500,000 for the Special Olympics. Locally Kalmar has been the Guardian of the Flame since 2011. Their sponsorship of the Torch Rum supports Special Olympics Kansas events and athletes state-wide, but also locally with direct support of uniforms and equipment for local programs in and around Ottawa. The final leg of the Torch Run will take place in Wichita on June 2nd concluding at Maize South High School during the opening ceremonies of the 2023 Special Olympics Kansas Summer Games.
