Final leg of Special Olympics torch run passes though city

A special ceremony was held at the junior high after the run in which civic and Special Olympic leaders gathered to praise those taking part in the run and the games.

Residents from all over Mountain Home gathered together on a cold Wednesday afternoon, to view the final leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, in preparation for the upcoming 2009 Special Olympic World Winter Games taking place in Boise starting Saturday, Feb. 7 and concluding Friday, Feb. 13.

The run began near Paul's in front of the old El Ranch lot on Jackson Street with a total of 90 runners, composed of area law enforcement officials and Special Olympic athletes representing the country of Uzbekistan. The runners ran a route similar to the route of the annual Air Force Appreciation Day parade.

As the cavalcade of runners, made their way down North 2nd East Street, downtown business owners and residents cheered in support for the runners.

When the runners made their way toward Hacker Middle School, each and every student in the school lined up along American Legion Boulevard to cheer on the runners.

The run concluded down North 14th East Street toward Mountain Home Junior High School, where a special welcoming assembly awaited the runners.

John Petti, coach of the Mountain Home High School Talkin' Tigers speech and debate team served as the master of ceremonies for the assembly.

Petti welcomed the team of athletes from Uzbekistan, and to all who volunteered their time to take part in the torch run.

Mountain Home Mayor Tom Rist, Police Chief John Walter and Pete Lee, vice wing commander of the 366th Fighter Wing, served as the honorable guests for the torch run.

"I sincerely hope that you have a nice, wonderful stay here in Mountain Home and I wish that people coming here today would have more time to see what our community is like," said Rist.

Petti acknowledged two notable guests at the assembly, Bryan Keller of the Bothell Police Department in Washington and Special Olympian Amara Coon of Hawaii, who has been an active participant in the Special Olympics for the past 13 years.

Following speeches from Coon and Keller, they presented Walter a gift bag loaded with Washington paraphernalia and presented Rist, Lee and Petti with special commemorative medallions of the Law Enforcement Torch Run.

In return, Chief Walter and Mayor Rist presented Coon and Keller with an assortment of gifts symbolic of Elmore County and the city of Mountain Home. Lee presented Coon with an airman's coin from the 366th FW.

Following the assembly, the athletes boarded a bus on their way to Boise for this year's ceremony.

"I'm proud of today's turnout and extremely excited that the torch came here to Mountain Home," said lead organizer Helen Rowland.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics began in 1981, when Richard LaMunyon, police chief in Wichita, Kan., saw an urgent need to raise funds for and increase awareness of the Special Olympics.

The Torch Run was adopted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), which is now recognized as the founding law enforcement organization of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

Annually, more than 85,000 law enforcement officials from 35 nations participate in the Torch Run as "Guardians of the Flame" ensuring the delivery of the Special Olympics "Flame of Hope to the opening ceremonies of local Special Olympic competitions, state/provincial games and national Summer or Winter Games.