Special Olympics athletes and members of the public joined members of local law enforcement in running a 13- to 14-mile route between northern Napavine and Centralia Friday to raise money and awareness for the upcoming Special Olympics.
The Torch Run was split up into 14 segments, each roughly a mile each, with the first starting at Bethel Church-Assembly of God north of Napavine and the last ending at Fort Borst Park in Centralia.
Members of local law enforcement agencies — including the Centralia Police Department, the Washington State Patrol, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and others — were divided into groups of two to three runners per segment, with one group set to tag in the next at the end of each segment.
For the first time in two years, athletes with the Special Olympics walked alongside the runners for the segment that runs through North Market Street in downtown Chehalis and through the final segment that goes through downtown Centralia to Borst Park.
Supporters are encouraged to visit the event’s website, https://www.lewiscountyletr.com/, to make donations, sponsor a specific runner, sign up to be a virtual runner or sign up to run a segment themselves.
For more information on the Washington state Special Olympics, visit specialolympicswashington.org.
