St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies, along with St. Bernard firefighters and state and federal Wildlife and Fisheries agents, will once again participate in the St. Bernard leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics on Friday, May 19, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
Residents are invited to cheer on several dozen runners, including parish Special Olympics participants, as they carry the “Flame of Hope” for Special Olympics Louisiana through the parish during the St. Bernard leg of the event which will begin at 10 a.m. on the steps of the St. Bernard Parish Courthouse, 1101 W. St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette.
From there, Sheriff Pohlmann said, participants will travel north on Fazzio Road, turn west on Judge Perez Drive, north on Jean Lafitte Parkway, west on Patricia Street, and will disband near the pavilion set up for the event on the Dr. Meraux Boulevard side of Sidney Torres Park.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics is an international series of torch relays, run by law enforcement officers leading up to the state or nation’s Special Olympics Summer Games. The event, which has been celebrated for 33 years, brings together more than 2,000 law enforcement officers who take part statewide each year.
The Louisiana State Summer Games will be held May 19 through 21 on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.
Sgt. Jessica Gernados, who coordinates the run for the Sheriff’s Office, said nearly 50 Sheriff’s Office deputies, Fire Department personnel and state and federal Wildlife agents are expected to take part in this year’s local event, along with several parish Special Olympics participants. Gernados said more than $1,000 was raised at last year’s run for Special Olympics Louisiana.
For more information about the Law Enforcement Torch Run, visit www.laso.org.
