Flame of Hope’ Arrives in Worcester County!

Worcester County Law Enforcement Officer, Friends, and Supporters Participate in Statewide Torch Run Relay as a Show of Support for the Special Olympics Maryland Summer Games

Law Enforcement officers representing ALL of Worcester County will be on the run on Monday, June 3rd at 8 a.m., taking part in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run Relay for Special Olympics Maryland. Their mission: to escort and protect the Special Olympics ‘Flame of Hope’ as it makes its way toward the opening of the Summer Games at Towson University, June 7-9.

The Maryland Torch Run is a fundraising movement that began in 1986 with a handful of officers raising $5,000, and has grown into a true year-round effort that involves thousands of officers and sponsors raising millions annually. Since its inception, those involved with the Torch Run have taken very seriously their role as “Guardians of the Flame”, and the relay is an important and celebrated part of every Special Olympics competition. Without the funds raised by those dedicated to the Torch Run efforts across this state, and across the world, Special Olympics would not be able to provide the inspiring opportunities that they do for our incredible athletes!

The schedule for Ocean City/Worcester County’s portion of the Torch Run is as follows (all times are approximate and subject to change):

Monday, June 3, 2019

8:00 – 8:30am Pre-Event Ceremonies, The Grand Hotel, 21st St. and Boardwalk, OC

8:30 Torch Run Relay Begins. Run will proceed from 21st Street to N. Division Street.

9:00 – 9:10 Run Concludes at N. Division Street with Photo Opportunity and Refreshment

9:10 Load Bus for West Ocean City, for Second Leg of the Relay

9:25– 9:35 Arrive at Broken Sound Blvd & Center Drive area, West OC

9:35 Begin Second Leg to Ocean City Elementary School

9:45-10:00 Conclude Second Leg at Ocean City Elementary

10:00 Load Bus for Berlin, for Third Leg of the Relay

10:15 Arrive at Franklin Avenue, Berlin, MD

10:25 Begin Third Leg to Berlin Intermediate School (NEW)

10:30-10:40 Run Concludes at Berlin Intermediate School across the street

10:40 Load Bus for Worcester County Athletic Complex for Downtown Berlin Run

10:45 Arrive at Worcester County Athletic Complex to Begin Downtown Berlin Run

11:00 Begin Fourth Leg, Downtown Berlin Run, With Stops at Worcester Prep and

Buckingham Elementary School. Conclude at Berlin Fire Station w/ Food and entertainment.

11:45-1:30pm Event Concludes. Conclude at Berlin Fire Station with lunch and entertainment.

This local portion of the Torch Run Relay is part of a much larger effort. Statewide, the Maryland Torch Run Relay consists of four different legs – Eastern, Western, Central and Southern – and throughout the entire week, thousands of Torch Run volunteers will cover hundreds of miles, eventually converging on Towson where the individual flames will be united in the Final Leg Ceremony and then officers from around the state will travel the final 2.5 miles to the Opening Ceremony at Towson University. It is there that the Flame is handed off to the Special Olympics athletes who have the honor of taking the final lap with the torch and then lighting the cauldron and officially declaring the 2018 SOMD Summer Games open.

###
Photo submission:

The photo is from Saturday, May 25, when the OCPD hosted their first ever “Cover the Cruiser” to raise money for Special Olympics Maryland.

They raised $4,910 and filled the car with 285 pledge cards.