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f0fs24 cf0 Local law enforcement rallies for Special Olympics torch run

By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE ‘d0’d0 The St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Office participated in their 20th annual torch run on Thursday, in support of Louisiana Special Olympics.

The run started at Airline Motors Restaurant on Airline Highway and ended at the St. Peter Catholic Church in Reserve.

Each runner pays $15, with all proceeds going to the organization.

The event ran from May 16 to May 20 covering 1,000 miles across the state, according to information provided by www.laso.org.

St. John Parish Sheriff ‘d4s Office run was eight and a half miles long, according to Director of Community Relations Lt. Greg ‘d2Za’d3 Maurin of the St. John Parish Sheriff’d5s Office.

Law enforcement agencies all over the state participated in this event including the St. John Parish Sheriff’d5s Office and Louisiana State Police Troop C.

‘d2Our run is seven miles,’d3 said Troop C Public Information Officer Matt Trahan. ‘d2We will take it south and hand it over to Lafourche Parish.’d3

Special Olympics Louisiana is a nonprofit organization in the state, and currently offering year-round sports training and competition program for more than 12,000 children and adults with mental retardation.

The organization receives no money from Special Olympics International or United Way, only through individual and corporate donations, foundation grants, service clubs and special events, according to information provided by the Vice President of the organization Pat Carpenter.}