41 miles for the 41st year of the Louisiana Special Olympics
Published 10:00 am Thursday, May 22, 2025
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WPSO joins other agencies for Law Enforcement Torch Run
SPECIAL TO THE DAILY NEWS
Yesterday, Sheriff Jason Smith and his Deputies joined forces with neighboring agencies and groups to carry the Flame of Hope Torch across Washington Parish. To commemorate the Louisiana Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run’s 41st year, we covered 41 miles from the Parish Line on LA-21, south of Bogalusa, to the Parish line on LA-25, south of Franklinton.
We couldn’t have completed this run without support from the groups that joined in to help us carry the torch. We only had a few weeks to plan, but everyone remained flexible and worked with our changing schedule to meet us on the route and put some miles under their feet.
Rayburn Correctional Center, the Bogalusa Police Department, Bogalusa High School JROTC, LANG 843RD ECC, Franklinton High School JROTC, and the Franklinton Police Department all pitched in to make sure we finished the relay and got the torch to the Folsom Police Department and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office two hours ahead of schedule.
A special thanks goes out to everyone who came out to the route and cheered us along, especially in the Town of Franklinton. Your honks and waves motivated us to keep pushing, and we are humbled by the support we received from the citizens of Washington Parish.
By the last leg of the run, we were all a little beat up from covering 30 miles that morning, but our deputies dug deep in the afternoon heat and ground out the final 10 miles from Franklinton to Windmill nurseries before crossing the finish line as a group with their heads held high. Next year, we will have more time to plan and hope to have even more groups join in for the Law Enforcement Torch Run.
