"Torch run of dreams......"

“Torch run of dreams....”

I am sure just about everyone has seen the movie “Field of Dreams” we started our day off in the town of Schuyler (skyler,) Nebraska. Schuyler is another one of those picturesk small towns in the central part of the United States with very core values. We started our run at the edge of town running over the railway bridge intering town. Almost everytown in central Nebraska has a large Railway Bridge with two to three railway track into town. Central Nebraska is on the main line for bnsf route east/west across the United States. 

Of course when everyone sees this bridge you can hear the gasps out of them because this makes the 8-9 bridge we have run over in past few days, but it makes it fun with everyone in step you can feel the bridge bounce a little bit. As we get to the crest of the bridge we see the main part of town running past a nursing home with the rsidents out waving american flags and clapping. Once we passed the nursing home we were greated by a young mother out with her children on the side of the road cheering us all on. We all knew we were running to a baseball field for the ceremony, but we were in for a treat to say the least. We ran into the field with the lushest green grash on a field that I have ever seen with an unbeliveably manicured infield. The field reminded me of abner double day fied in Cooperstown, New York or one of the fields from League of Their Own. The bleachers were all covered from the first baseline to the third baseline. Chicken wire acted as a shield for the spectators and as a back stop. Everything was painted with a deep dark green. Several of us spoke with the Mayor of Schuyler and you could tell she was very proud of her town. She told the Team that the field was built in 1932 and that the town ballroom was build by the WPA (works progress administration.)

Jason Niemi from Wyoming spoke at Schuyler along with Ronnie Warren from Missouri.  Jason did an amazing job with his speech speaking about his involvement with Special Olympics and LETR. Jason meet his wife vounteering with Special Olympics and she continues to volunteer with him. Jason works for the Wheatland Police Department in Wyoming. His department currently has seven officers. 

The next stop for the Final Leg team was Columbus, Nebraska which is were fellow Final Leg Team Leader Kevin Stary is from. The stop in Columbus was enjoyable, the team ran from just outside of town into the center of town where they have a very nice band shell and park. I was able to meet Kevin’s fiance Amber finally, I have heard so much about her. I met kevin on the 2009 Final Leg for the World Winter Games. Kevin is an amazing friend and we have stayed close over the past year. I will be an usher in Kevin’s wedding this September with Gary Gordon from Ireland who was also on the 2009 Final Leg. 

Columbus was a very pretty town, the park area in the center of town had huge trees that proided tons of shade around the park. The park also contained a very nice monument to honor the union soldiers that were killed in the civil war. Robbie gave his speech before 20-30 local athletes, their parents and citizens of columbus. He did amazing as always. He was presented a really neat gift at the ceremony, he recieved a Monoply game specific to Columbus, Nebraska to commimorate Colunbus 150 year anniversary. Robbie said he can’t wait to play it when he gets home!!

From Columbus we traveled a little over two hours to Ord, Nebraska. By the time we reached Ord the tempatures had reached over 100 degrees with a heat index of over 110 degrees. We were with Bill Buford and Joe Pellicci’s team today. The heat was definetly affecting all of us today, but our team hung in there Robbie did amazing. Prior to the run we were joined by two local officers that joined the formation as wel as singing cadience with us. Everyone of the towns that we had visited so far all had very nice parks Ord did as well, they had a very nice park with huge Oak Trees and a nice pond for the local children to fish in. The town was also very proud of the very large flag in the center of town dedicated to the memory of soldiers who had died in wars from their town. The school superntendant spoke as well as the mayor, with probably 75 people in attendance. 

From Ord we traveled south to North Platte which is where we will stay tonight. In the town of North Platte is where Buffalo Bill Cody’s Historic Ranch Park is located, we did not have time to go visit the park during our stay. When we arrived back in North Platte the heat index was well over 110 degrees. Six of the nine teams meet up for a over 2.5 mile run through the center of town before having a ceremony at Cody Park and then having a meal provided by a local bank. After dinner I bought ice cream to celebrate our drivers birthday. Jake turned 33 today!! Our team had gotten together and decorated our RV the night before by window painting the windows, decorating the inside and getting him a card. Jake has spolied all of us during the trip and we all are blessed to have him be apart of our team....Happy Birthday Jake!!

"Flame of Hope"

“The Flame of hope”

The symbol of the Final Leg the power behind what guides during our journey is the “Flame of Hope.” Light from the sun in Athens, Greece like the original Olympic Games and carried in a minors lamp across the globe to Ames, Iowa the “Flame of Hope was light to begin the 2010 Special Olympics National Games Final Leg Run. The flame in the minors lamp lights the torch carried by athletes as well as officers to carry the flame 

across Nebraska to the Opening Ceremonies.

 Each program, state, world and national games has a torch that is unique to it. MTM manufacting in Del City, Oklahoma manufactured this years as well as a majority of the torches used across the US and for the Final Leg. This years torch truely caputures Nebraska itself.

The torch handle appears to resemble drift wood with various symbols of Nebraska on it. The torch has wagons to symolzie the Oregon Trail, Train Tracks to symoblize their heritage with the expansion of the US westward, native wild life to Nebraska, a depection of an Indian Chief which is a sign of heritage and strength, a football for the University of Nebraska as well as barbwire throughout the torch wrapping its way to the top of the torch. The Barbwire to me symbolizes the bonds of the Final Leg Team one piece of wire being the athletes and one being the officers as they become one to create the ties or bonds that hold them together to hold the torch high for all to see. The wagon and train tracks also symbolize the LETR and Final Leg teams blasing a new trail of acceptance and spreading the Special Olympics movement. MTM outdid themselves, the Torch is absolutly gorgeous and is a sight to see.. 

"If you can get to their heads, you can get to their hearts"

If you can get to their heads, you can get to their hearts!!

Monday morning started off a little dreary, rainy and muggy, but with the smiles from our athletes we could have light up New York City...so needless to say we didn’t pay much attention or notice the rain. We left the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus at 8am to head to our first stop West Point, Nebraska. We arrived in West Point around 930am after driving through steady rain for nearly an hour unitl just about thed edge of town and it seemed to lighten up just as we exited the RV to get ready to strecth. West Point is much like any other Midwestern Small town from what I have seen in my travels  across the country. They are very prideful of their town, the school sports teams and very very patriotic. We started our run near a small local grain elevator and several of the officers on the trip ran over to the grain elevator and took pictures. Then they all noticed the feed and tack store across the street so they wanted to see what was inside. I am a city boy but growing up in Oklahoma I still have a general concept of what things are, these guys were funny. Like a group of kids in Toys R Us for the first time. We started our run running into town to end at the Nielsen Community Center. As we ran through the towns main buisness area there were a few that had signs that welcomed the Torch Run but almost all of them had an American Flag or a patrotic decoration on their store fronts. Much like in when I was on the Final Leg in Idaho you get that very Norman Rockwell feel. All the lawns are very manicured with prestine flowers beads, several of the residents stepped out onto their porch as we ran by their residences to wave. 

As we turned off the main street of West Point the town Volunteer Fire Department had their ladder truck extended with a very large American Flag hanging from it. Being a run team leader is such an amazing experince because I run along side the formation and it gives me ability to look on the runners faces. Seeing the smiles on their faces, goose bumps on their arms and you can see the joy from their heart as they carry the “Flame of Hope.” We reached the community center to a very nice reception with a group of about 20-30 local athletes and their families. Tom Madera was the Law Enforcement speaker for this leg of our journey. He spoke of his involvment with Special Olympics and the LETR. Tom also quoted Mrs. Shriver saying “That if you can get to their heads, you can get to their hearts.” This is so true if you can get to someone and get them involved just once to see that smile from an athlete they will be hooked for life. Our athletes have so much to offer us, compassion, show us how to win and loose gracefully as well as just how to be a better person. Tom gave a great speech, he truely has the heart of a Torch Runner and he doesnt just talk he talk he walks the walk. Tom has been amazing to Robbie, their is no doubt they are close and will stay close. 

From West Point we traveled to Freemont, Nebraska. Freemont is another quiet great Midwestern town and so was our last stop of the day Blair. All three of these towns reminded me of the song “Small Town” by John Mellencamp. This is not a derogity thing, these three towns you could tell embrase the core values of family, church, education, our country and supportimg our athletes. 

As we ran through Freemont their Fire Department had also hung a large flag from their ladder truck that we ran under as we ran down main street. We were greated by several buisness and resturants that had no only employees but customers come out to cheer us on as we went by. I saw several small children with their parents waving american flags as we went by. When we got to the ceremony sight, which was the Freemont High School Stadium Robbie gave his speech and was joined by LAPD Officer Gary Beecher. 

Robbie did an amazing job giving his presentation at the Freemont High School football stadium. He has really figured out how to work the crowd and he likes hugging the pretty girls in each town. Robbie looked at tom earlier in the day and said “Tom if you got it you got it, but not everone does.” Everyone on the RV started laughing because he says the wittest things some times, he keeps up laughing. It is amazing we will be sitting on the RV spread out relaxing and he will randomly say someones name then “your my buddy.” After this trip he will have buddies for ever from this trip. 

During Gary’s speech he talks about his experience as a LAPD with the Southern California LETR. He talks about how Southern California Special Olympics used to not  allow the Torch Run to go thru the area near the LA Colisuem and USC. He explained that they had all the resources to keep everyone safe and after years of coaxing as well as asuring them of everyone’s safety they allowed it. Gary said the first year that happened they witnessed an armed robbery in front of them, he had his gun and badge in the car so he chased after the suspet catching them. He jokingly said then he turned,  looked at his athletes and said “lets go run guys.” Ever since then the “Flame of Hope” has traveled thru the roughest streets of LA. I am sure this is true across the country because Special Olympics and LETR know no boundaries, our athletes come from every race, social and econimic background imaginable. That is what Special Olympics is all about giving each athlete the same oppurtunities no matter who they are or where the come from but equality.... That is what Mrs. Shriver wanted and hoped for with Special Olympics....

From Freemont we traveled to Blair, Nebraska. Blair showed the support very similar to Freemont and West Point, the town was out cheering the runners on as we ran by. Majority of the towns that we wil visit now until late Thursday or early Friday will be prodiminatly farming communities. The support is there for the Runners and the athletes just most of the residents are working their farms just outside of town or in a local buisness. We were greated with a warm welcome at the St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church. We were greated by several local Special Olympics Athletes and even had a young man who is an athlete join us and run. We ran a total of 5.5 miles today in 95+ tempatures. This was a light running day but with the heat to come later this week we will be thankful..

First Full Day of Running Sunday July, 11 2010

The first day was not to early of a start we all loaded up on the team RV's at 9am to head to the Iowa State University Campus to start the Final Leg with a Torch Lighting ceremony at the site of the 2006 Special Olympics National Games.

I woke up both a little tired and nervous. Jana Rooker, Jake Johnson and I had made a late night Wal-Mart run for our RV for supplies for the night before plus for a few other supplies to have a little fun. I wanted to get window chalk and put "Lincoln or Bust" on the back window of all of the RV's. After our trip to Wal-Mart we were sneaking around the parking lot of our hotel like a couple little teenagers tee peeing a house... But it was worth it the next morning when all of the teams came out to the RV's everyone was talking about it. I think Mike Teem seemed to enjoy it, he had a little smile on his face when he saw it.

We loaded up the team's den on wheels for the next week to take the short trek to Iowa State University. We were treated to a great community breakfast celebration held in honor of the Final Leg Team. We were joined by all of the Iowa athletes that will compete in the 2010 National Games. They were so excited to see all of the officers, high fiving all of us, hugging and just smiling at us! I brought a roll of OCPD junior police stickers to give to athletes and children at the ceremonies, the athletes seemed to really loved them. I had one athlete that I gave a sticker to step back smile, stand at attention and salute me, then giving me a big hug. I just stood there in awe stuck with goosebumps and I know a huge smile on my face. The athlete then reached out for a hug and said "thank you." Times like that are what make all the aches and pains we will experince over the next week worth it.

After we mingled with the athletes and ate breakfast we participated in the flame lighting ceremony at ISU. Prior to the ceremony the team took a group photo with the Iowa athletes. The Final Leg team was all dressed in our matching red champion singlet tops with matching red tops. To say we looked sharp would be an understatment!!! All of the uniforms have the "EKS+ PlayON" logo to honor Mrs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver for all that she did and her legacy still does for our athletes. 

I am sure that Eunice Kennedy Shriver was smiling down this gorgeous July morning from heaven and saying a prayer for the officers and athletes who will be participating in the Final Leg before we begin our journey. There had to be close to 800 people watching the ceremonies if not more. The Torch was light by two members of the 2006 Final Leg Torch Run to start the ceremony and then was ran out of the ceremony by Jana Rooker and Special Olympics Iowa Athlete Michael Warren with the Final Leg Team in a columns of two behind them! We headed out from ISU and we were on the Road for two hours to our first stop in Atlantic, Iowa at the Hy-Vee food store. Hy-Vee is a grocery store chain that is a huge supporter of Special Olympics Iowa and played a major role in supporting the Final Leg in 2006 for the National Games. The Final leg was broken up into three groups of three for the first time. My team joined up with Roy Forrest (North Carolina) and Jack Harris (Vermont.)

At our first stop Jana and Robbie were the Final Leg speakers. They both did an amazing job representing their home state programs and the LETR. Robbie's speech was amazing and from the heart. He talks about all of his accomplishment; such as the Special Olympics athlete of the year for Rhode Island in 1996, being the first Special Olympics inducted into his towns athletic hall of fame an accomplishment he received for winning a gold medal in track and field at the World Games in 2003 held in Ireland and his medal with the Rhode Island basketball team at the National Games in 1996. During Robbie's speech he also talks about the "EKS+ PlayON" logo on our uniforms. Robbie was on of the athletes that attended Eunice Kennedy Shrivers funeral and not only marched in her funeral procession but as Mike Teem told all of those at the ceremony in Ames, were encouraged to huddle around the family at her grave side services along with LETR officers. Robbie refers to Eunice as the First Lady of Special Olympics and she truly is and always will be!! Mike Teem said it best in his speech in Ames, for all that the Kennedy family did for this country Eunice is the one who left the biggest mark on this country and world. I truley do believe that to be true and that mark continues to grow today!!!

After the ceremony in Atlantic the teams loaded up and headed to Omaha! The team joined up on the east side of Missouri river to run the 2.2 miles into downtown Omaha for a welcoming ceremony at ConAgra Foods. The team ran in columns of two across the footbridge that spans the Missouri. Janna Rooker and the Iowa Special Olympics athlete Michael Warren lead the Team with the "Flame of Hope" light and held high until carrying the 2006 Iowa Final Leg Torch until we reached the middle of the bridge where the 2010 Final Leg Torch was light by the Iowa torch. As the team crossed the bridge we could feel it bounce under or feet, which was eery at first but if you sit back and think about it is almost like a trampoline for our officers bouncing with every step carrying our athletes and their dreams. Nebraska Special Olympics athlete Evan Davis and Chris Weber a school resource officer from Lincoln lead the team to the ceremony as we traveled across the market district of Omaha. The market district still has brick paved streets in areas and is much like the bricktown area in Oklahoma with lots of restaurants and business. These buildings and brick streets have seen lots of history and even more now as officers and athletes run side by side heading to the National Games. At the ceremony we were two very special guest. They were Evan’s niece and nephew. Both of them were under the age of three and we wearing “Run Evan Run" shirts. Let me tell you when evan has a hold of that torch we are off for a quicker paced run. I promise you no one complains at all!!Anyone who has ever ran a torch with an athlete or in a Final Leg holding the “Flame of Hope” with an athlete will tell you he or she could feel that athletes sense of pride, happiness and energry through holding that together. That is what this movement is all about our athletes hapiness and feeling that acceptance!! That torch symboizes that and I promise you the athletes know it!

article in the Ames Tribune with quotes from Jana:

http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2010/07/11/ames_tribune/news/doc4c3a2399873ad202577484.txt

Arrival In Ames

The Final Leg team spent the first night in Ames Iowa, sight of the 2006 Special Olympics National Games. When we arrived at the hotel I was greeted by several familiar faces that I have gotten to know quiet well over the years through the LETR. I also began meeting my team members. I am sure that every single team leader says he has the best team but their is no doubt that mine is the BEST and by far the funniest!!

Here is a little insight into team #1...

Robbie Strickland is our athlete, inspiration and team comedian. There is not a dull moment when you are around Robbie, he is a barrel of fun and laughs. Robbie is 34 years old and lives in Warren, Rhode Island. From the sounds of it he is a bit of a local celebrity. He was elected into Warren’s Sports Hall of Fame for winning a gold medal in track and field at the World Special Olympics Summer Games in 2003. 

Tom Madera is an officer with the Southern Connecticut University Police. Together with Robbie these two have had our team in stitches since we met. Tom organizes his departments fundraisers for Special Olympics Connecticut as well as playing on two unified sports teams, softball and floor Hockey.

Jason Niemi is an officer with the Weatland Police Department in Wheatland, Wyoming. He has assisted for several years organizing and planning his areas portion of the Wyoming statewide Final Leg Torch Run. 

Amanda Velenica works for New Mexico State Department of Corrections  at their training academy. She assists with her departments fundraising efforts for Special Olympics New Mexico. She is currently nursing an injury so we aren’t sure how much running she will be doing but she is our cheerleader and Robbie definitely has taking a liking to her. 

Eric Guerrero is the Senior Warden at the Lopez/Segovia Complex in Edinburg, Texas near brownsville. Eric is heavily involved in is departments fundraising efforts and helped plan the 2008 LETR Conference in Dallas.

Jana Rooker works for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Iowa as their Public Information Officer. She has been an active participiant in her states torch run and it’s fundraising program. She definetly adds spark to the team

Jake Johnson (Cousin Cleddie as we were told to call him by his wife) is driving the team #1 family truckster. He and I got to know one another during the 2009 Final Leg when is was the Oklahoma runner and he was a support team member. Jake works for the Bingham County Sheriff’s Department.

Once we all got checked into our hotel rooms and received our gear the team loaded up the RV’s and headed to downtown Ames for an event called “Midnight Madness.” This is an annual event that is a festival and 5K run. Our Final Leg Team started off the event with a group fun as several hundred people if not close to a thousand cheered us on. After dinner we all headed back to the hotel and cleaned up before dinner. At the team dinner we all were treated with a talk by former IACP (International Chiefs of Police Association) Chairman Russ Lane. Mr. Lane is a long time Torch Runner and a member of the Final Leg support staff. Mr. Lane has been all over the world spreading the Special Olympics Movement, and talked about his experiences. He encouraged us all to stay involved, stay motivated and to remember that what we do does make a difference in the lives of another. 

Travel Day July 10, 2010

The day started early for me since I had a 615 am  flight out of Oklahoma City to Memphis and then onto Ames, Iowa. As I was flying to Memphis I was going through all of the material that I have received from Team Captain Mike Teem. As I am reading through all of the information that filled the one inch binder that I had placed it all into, the song “Little Wonders” by Rob Thomas came on my IPod. This song truly fits the journey that I am about to embark on. In one portion of the song I believe he truly sums up how I feel about my upcoming trip....

Our lives are made

In these small hours 

These little wonders

These twists and turns of fate 

Time falls away,

But these small hours

These small hours 

Still remain

Our lives are made of small hours combined into series of hours that form into days, weeks, months and years. But what we do with each minute, hour, day, weeks, months and years makes us who we are. We can not change the past but we can affect the future and how we look back on our life with the decisions that we make as well as the actions we take. These twists and turns of fate will truly occur over the next week. Friendships will be made that will last over a lifetime and we all will grow form this amazing experience together. 

Each of the runners wether they are officers or an athlete will make at least one presentation during one of the more than seventy stops as the LETR crosses Nebraska spreading the movement of Special Olympics and the LETR. During that presentation each person will highlight how it is and why they are involved in  Special Olympics. I have given all of the runners on my team guidance on a direction they may want to go with their speech but I feel the best ones will come from the heart. Everyone on this trip has the heart and the flame that burns inside them that Eunice Kennedy Shriver possessed. We will carry her memory everywhere we go this next week with the “EKS+ PlayON” logo on all of our uniforms just above our hearts. 

When I arrived in Memphis I caught up with Roy Forrest from North Carolina and Bill Buford from Arkansas. They are also run team leaders for the Final Leg and gave me some good friendly advice as a run team leader. We were joined on our flight to Ames by Charles Sutherlin from Alabama and Joe Saxon from Mississippi. Upon our arrival at the airport we were greeted by several of the support staff before traveling to the Hotel in Ames, Iowa. I can already tell this is going to be an amazing trip.....

The plans are being finalized

Final Preparations are being made, team assignments are done and all the countless hours of planning are about to become a reality. I recieved my teams information over the weekend and was able to speak with each of them. I have a great group of officers and an amazing athlete joining our team. of course I will say my group will be the best but I have a great feeling about all of them and the enthuasim I heard in their voices. We have a lot of diversity to bring to the Final Leg, we are from all across the country and all different types of Law Enforcement.

Our athlete or "Rock Star" as you will hear me refer to him is Robbie Strickland from Warren, Rhode Island. I think every athlete is a Rock Star but especially the ones who are selected as Final Leg Runners, they are the Rock Stars and the energy of the Final Leg. I can tell by talking with Robbie's parents Bob and Donna he has tons of energy. He is a huge sports fan, loves his beloved Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Atlanta Braves. Robbie is a well versed travler, he has been all over the world on vacations and partcipating in the 2003 World Games in Dublin, Ireland as well as the first ever US National Games in Ames, Iowa. I am looking forward to meeting Robbie and getting to know him even better throughout this amazing experience. I have no doubt that Robbie is going to keep a smile on everyone's face during our journey, and I can't wait to see how much fun he is going to have!!

Team one has an amazing group of people and I will try to tell you more about them along our journey. We have a great mix from across the United States:

Tom Madera from Connecticut
Jana Rooker from Iowa
Amanda Velencia from New Mexico
Eric Guerrero from Texas
Jason Niemi from Wyoming
Jake Johnson from Idaho (he will be driving the team 1 family truckster to make sure we are all safe)

Our team joins the other:
47 Law Enforcement Runners
9 Special Olympics Athletes
9 Run Team Leaders
24 Support Team Leaders
9 RV Drivers
6 police escorts
3 Documentation Team Members
1 Team Captain Mike Teem

The planning that the LETR group from Iowa and Nebraska is amazing they have our journey planned down to the minute at time and I can not praise them enough for  all the hard work that they have already done.

It is my goal to try and update this blog everyday to every two days during our journey across Iowa and Nebraska trying to take you along with Robbie as well as the rest of our team as we share this incredible journey.

Thank you for following my blog,
Shawn

"It all began with a Dream"

Even though Eunice Kennedy Shriver is gone, her dream more than 40 years ago still burns brighter than ever and there is no doubt she will be at this years National Games in spirit. Her dreams to raise awareness of persons with intellectual disabilities burns brighter than ever every time the Special Olympics "Flame of Hope" is light.

This dream is even more evident in our athletes as well as our officers hearts and will be to the people of Nebraska when the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg makes its journey from Ames, Iowa to Lincoln, Nebraska for the 2010 National Games. That flame burns brighter than ever with Eunice Kennedy Shriver's memory traveling every step and cadence call as our athletes and officers carry the flame of hope hand in hand across the Nations Heartland spreading the Special Olympics movement to light the cauldron at the Opening Ceremonies.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver started Special Olympics with a backyard camp for people with intellectual disabilities over 40 years ago and it has now grown into a global movement that gets larger every day. This movement has been and continues to change lives and attitudes every day. That same drive and desire to make a difference was seen by the founders of the Law Enforcement Torch Run in Whichita. Kansas in 1981. Chief Richard LaMunyon and a small group of officers saw a need to raise awareness,  and funds to support the Special Olympics so they created the Law Enforcement Torch Run and look where we are now. Officers in more than 30 countries worldwide help raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics. I am proud to be one of those 85,000 officers, helping to raise over $35million dollars worldwide annually for our Special Olympics Athletes.  To sit back and think that a small group of people's "dreams" can accomplish this many great things, think what the world would or could be if more people would follow through with them.

You hear officers refer to Special Olympics athletes as "our athletes." They are our families and friends so we are very protective of them as family and the "Flame of Hope," we are the "Guardians of the Flame." For all the negativity in this world that our Law Enforcement see this is one way that we can give back and see a difference. Whether it is a smile, a hug, a high five or a simple thank you to know that you gave back in a positive way and helped a complete stranger or a close friend better your life lets you know that you can as well as did make a difference. Being involved in LETR and Special Olympics has made me a better person and I promise you I have gotten back 100 times more from our athletes than I can ever give them in return. To have the ability not once but twice now to be a part of the Final Leg and to be a guardian of the "Flame of Hope" as it makes its journey to Lincoln, Nebraska I am honored.

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget the way you made them feel."

Thank you for following my blog

Shawn

The phone call

       Have you ever had one of those days that one event or little five minute span just sends you to cloud nine?? I had one of those days on May 12, 2010 and don't think I have come down yet. I was in Stillwater, Oklahoma for our Special Olympics Summer games. Myself and another officer from my department (rob high) had volunteered three days to be photographers for our state games. We were at the YMCA taking pictures of the swimming events when my phone rang. I saw that it was Mike Teem, who is the team leader for the final legs as well as on the international committee for LETR. We began chatting about his recent retirement and then I sensed that this was more than about his recent retirement.  Mike began saying some things to me that made me grin i am sure from ear to ear and then asked me to be a run team leader for the Final Leg to the Special Olympics National Games in Lincoln, Nebraska. Of course I said yes, knowing what a big honor and responsibility this is.  I don't think my feet touched the ground as I walked back into the pool area of the Stillwater YMCA. As soon as I entered the pool I was greeted by Ellen Paynter, who is Christopher Paynter's mom. Chris for those of you who do not know him is an unbelievable man and friend, he is a Torch Runner as well as a Special Olympics Oklahoma Athlete . Ellen looks at me and asked if everything was okay and I told her about the phone call. She immediately gave me the biggest hug and we both were teary eyed. Ellen knows what the Final Leg is all about. I was able to share the amazing experience of the 2009 Final Leg with Chris as he was one of the nine athletes from all over the world who was chosen to lead the 85 officers from all over the world across Idaho carrying the "Special Olympics flame of hope." To get the phone call from Mike Teem and then to walk into that swimming pool area to share it with Ellen was amazing especially with how much her family means to me.
       I was selected to represent Oklahoma at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games Final Leg in Idaho, USA. This trip was a trip of a lifetime, I refer to Idaho as "majestic." I say that because I did witness not one thing but several things that were "Simply Majestic." The bonds and friendships that I formed during that eleven day trip, running over 68 "Idaho Miles," and seeing our athletes as well as officers lives changed for ever was just truly unbelievable. Chris and I traveled across country together and then were placed on separate teams so that we could share this experience with others. Chris was pared up with Jack Harris who is a Chief of Police in Vermont and I my roommate was Aaron Araseth an athlete from Medford, Oregon. Aaron and I have formed a bond that is indescribable, he is the little brother I never had. We have seen each other twice since Idaho. Aaron is an amazing man that there is no limit for. Every time I see him and talk to him on the phone he has grown that much more. 
        The Final leg is one of those things in life that is just hard to explain unless you have experienced it. It lights a fire deep inside you and for those who have ever been it changes your life for the better for ever as well as changing those around you.  I hope you enjoy reading this blog as much as I do writing it. I hope this blog helps spread the word about the global movement of Special Olympics and the Law Enforcement Torch Run.