Special Olympians Carry Flame of Hope

A very special group of athletes were greeted by officers from the Long Beach Police Department near the water adjacent to Parkers' Lighthouse this afternoon. There they chatted, took pictures and in the case of one competitor, Jon Hill, enjoyed an energy boosting slice of crumb cake before beginning the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

The athletes, escorted by the LBPD, took turns carrying the “Flame of Hope” as they basked in the cheering from passing motorists along the route.

The run, an effort by law enforcement officers to raise money for these special Olympians, followed Ocean Boulevard to Legends, where they took a quick break before continuing on to Whaley Park and then to Cal State Long Beach for the opening ceremonies.