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SPECIAL TO THE DAILY NEWS

In celebration of the Louisiana Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run’s 41st year, the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office will be bringing the Flame of Hope torch back to Washington Parish for a 41-mile relay run on May 19.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics is an international series of torch relays, run by law enforcement officers leading up to each state or nation’s Special Olympics Summer Games. The Special Olympics Louisiana State Summer Games will be held May 23rd-25th on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

WPSO’s leg of the run will begin at the St. Tammany Parish/Washington Parish border on LA-21 at 6:00 AM on May 19, 2025, and head north into Bogalusa before turning west down LA-10 towards Franklinton. At Franklinton, we will turn south and hand the torch off to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office at Windmill Nurseries on LA-25. Over 41 total miles will be covered by the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office with help from neighboring agencies and groups along the way.

Civilian Volunteers are invited to help us carry the Flame of Hope Torch and can sign up for 5-minute time slots along the route. Individual runners can sign up for as many time slots as they wish to run, and transportation to and from the route is available if needed. Everyone is encouraged to come out and help the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office carry the Flame of Hope Torch across our Parish and show our unwavering support for the Louisiana Special Olympics. The Sheriff’s Office will be following closely with a transport van for runners to rest and hydrate, and transportation to and from the route is available if needed. To join us on May 19, please email kspeakman@wpso.la.gov to choose a time slot and location after you register at www.specialolympicsla.org.

Early-bird registration is open until May 5 and the cost is $30 per runner. After May 5, the cost is $40. Every runner will receive a T-shirt.

Special Olympics Louisiana’s Law Enforcement Torch Run hosts various fundraising events in all areas of the state throughout the year. The Law Enforcement Torch Run® is Special Olympics’ largest annual grassroots fundraiser and public awareness campaign. This year the Torch Run is celebrating its 41st year. Officers carry the “Flame of Hope” throughout Louisiana and work year-round conducting other fundraising activities for Special Olympics Louisiana.