A handful of veteran officers returned to Kellogg Circle at 12th Avenue and Commercial Street this morning in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.
The men were part of the original torch run in June of 1984. It was the beginning of a tradition of law enforcement’s support for the athletes who participate in the Special Olympics.
The first torch runners, who ran legs of the trek from Emporia to Eureka, were Chief Larry Blomenkamp, Steve Edwards, Bruce Fair, Mike Heffron, Larry Adams, Dennis Delmott, Kay Ohlemeier, Pam Beaver and John Koelsch of the Emporia Police Department and Lyon County Sheriff Cliff Hacker, Garland Hendrickson and Gary Sadowski.
All have since retired or gone on to other jobs, with the exception of Koelsch, Delmott Ohlemeier and Hendrickson, who remain on the job with their respective agencies.
Koelsch invited the others to take part in today’s torch run to commemorate the start of a long-standing tradition that has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the special athletes, and Adams followed through by coaxing those who were available to take part in the run.
The veterans were invited to walk, run, or bicycle south on Commercial Street to Fourth Avenue.
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