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We welcome contributions to help Alabama Special Olympics, please use www.FirstGiving.com to make any online contributions. Thank you for your support of Alabama Law Enforcement torch run for Special Olympics!

Registration Form

The Alabama Law Enforcement Torch Run is open to law enforcement and corrections officers at the Federal, State and Local level. To find out how you can get involved with the Torch Run, fill out the registration form below and we will contact you.
(All Fields are required)

February 9, 2010

Message from the State Director

State Director

I am excited and honored to be serving as the Alabama Law Enforcement Torch Run State Director (ALETR). It is my hope that 2009 will be the best year yet in our service to Special Olympics! Our goal this year is to increase awareness and recruit more law enforcement volunteers for the ALETR.

At the most basic level, the Torch Run is an actual running event in which officers and Special Olympic athletes run the "Flame of Hope" to the Opening Ceremony of local Special Olympics competitions, state/provincial Games, and National Summer or Winter Games. Every two years, law enforcement officers from around the world gather to carry the "Flame of Hope" in a Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg in honor of the Special Olympics World Summer or World Winter Games. It was my honor to run in the Final Leg in 2006, and I found the experience personally and professionally enriching. I ran with law enforcement officers from across the nation and have maintained contact with many of them.

At the local and state level, law enforcement volunteers participate in a variety of events to raise awareness and funds for athletes who compete in local, state, national and international Special Olympic events. 100% of the funds raised are contributed to Special Olympics of Alabama, who then disperses the money throughout Alabama. If requested, the contributions can be directed to the county in which the funds were raised.

Our organization is extremely fortunate to have the continuing support of Attorney General Troy King, who recognized Torch runners and athletes on the steps of the State Capitol and at the Opening Ceremonies last year. This year's ALETR will follow a similar route and will again enjoy the privilege of having the Attorney General and other dignitaries in attendance.

Luckily, the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police (AACOP) has recognized and adopted the Torch Run and has increased our success statewide. Having the support of your chief means a lot to the officers who volunteer to carry the torch and raise awareness for Alabama Special Olympics.

What can you do as a local law enforcement officer in Alabama? Join our cause. You do not have to be a runner to participate! If you are a chief or sheriff, your participation could be in encouraging and allowing officers in your department to participate. Other law enforcement personnel could help by raising funds and awareness of Special Olympic athletes in your city and county. And naturally, we would like as many runners as possible to participate in our annual run on May 14-15. Fill out the Registration Form on our home page to begin your participation with ALETR.

For more information about how you and your department can get involved in the Alabama Law Enforcement Torch Run, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or by email.

Sincerely,
Lt. Ken Atkinson, State Director ALETR
205-329-8229 or ken.atkinson@homewoodal.org