International Torch Run

The Law Enforcement Torch Run® began in 1981 when Wichita, Kansas Police Chief Richard LaMunyon saw an urgent need to raise funds for and increase awareness of Special Olympics. He conceived the idea of a Torch Run as a way to involve local law enforcement personnel in the community and Special Olympics. After three years of successful Torch Runs in Kansas, LaMunyon presented the program to the International Association of Chief's of Police (IACP). With IACP's enthusiastic support and leadership, the Torch Run soon involved all facets of the law enforcement community-sheriffs' associations, police units, state, county, municipal, military, and federal law enforcement, and corrections officers. The Torch Run expanded into seven states by 1985; 43 states by 1986, and 50 states and 34 nations in 2000.

The Torch Run is Special Olympics' largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle, raising more than US$20.5 million for Special Olympics Programs around the world in 2004. More than 85,000 law enforcement officers carried the Flame of Hope across 35 nations, and thousands more supported the runners' efforts through "Adopt-A-Cop" runner sponsorships, corporate sponsorships and Torch Run T-shirts (more than 400,000 sold) and other merchandise sales.

At its most basic level, the Torch Run is an actual running event in which officers and athletes run the "Flame of Hope" to the Opening Ceremonies of local Special Olympics competitions, state/provincial Games, and National Summer or Winter Games.

At its most fully developed, the Torch Run initiative encompasses a variety of fundraising vehicles in addition to the Torch Run itself, such as T-shirt or merchandise sales, donations or pledges for runners in the Torch Run, corporate donations, special events such as Polar Plunges, golf tournaments or other events that have local appeal.

For more information on the Texas Torch Run Program, contact torchruninfo@sotx.org.