Tools

Special Olympic "Torch of Hope" Passes Through Helena

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: May 5, 2011 at 6:45 PM MDT

Story Updated: May 6, 2011 at 8:48 AM MDT

After law enforcement raised awareness and money for Special Olympics in Great Falls earlier this week, the Flame of Hope Torch made its way down to Helena today.

“Let me win, if I cannot win let me great at the attempt,” says the 30 or so law enforcement runners and 25 Special Olympics Athletes as they light the Flame of Hope Torch.

Law enforcement with the Helena Police, Montana Highway Patrol and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Deputies gathered in Helena to relay the Special Olympics torch to Boulder with Special Olympic athletes. Attorney General Steve Bullock also joined in the festivities.

The relay began April 26th from thirteen starting points across the state, hundreds of members of the Special Olympics and law enforcement communities carry the Flame of Hope nearly 2,300 hundred miles to the State Summer Games Opening Ceremonies in Bozeman - which kicks off next week.

Law enforcement participating today each pledged a minimum of $100 dollars and their goal is to exceed the state-wide mark of $500,000 dollars in fundraising.

“Special Olympics is good for all of us to participate in. It’s not what we give to them, it’s really when you get involved, is you find yourself feeling better because of what they give back,” says Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton.

“When you go to one of those events, everyone’s a winner, all of the athletes are winners, they all get a ribbon and they all go home with big smiles on their face, so it’s pretty good it’s a good way to give back,” says John Fosket with the Helena Police Department.

The torch run is the largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics and has raised over $125 million since its inception in 1981.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

News, Sports, Weather for Great Falls, Helena, and all of Montana and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

Great Falls & Helena Weather

Icon
Great Falls Great Falls Intl Airport, MT
Current Temp 57.0 °F
Fair
Wind : Southwest at 10.4 MPH (9 KT)
Pressure : 1013.7 mb
Humidity : 53 %
Icon
Helena Helena Regional, MT
Current Temp 53.0 °F
Fair
Wind : Calm
Pressure : 1016.9 mb
Humidity : 55 %
Click here for our video forecast
More Weather
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

AP Video