Seymour Police Department officers Jason Wynn, left, and Chadd Rogers will participate in the Special Olympics Indiana Law Enforcement Torch Run on June 10 in Indianapolis.
Zach Spicer | The Tribune
The steps Chadd Rogers and Jason Wynn take during an upcoming event will just be the beginning of their involvement with Special Olympics Indiana.
On the morning of June 10, they will participate in the Law Enforcement Torch Run that starts outside Victory Field in Indianapolis.
The purpose of the event, which offers distances of a 3-mile run or a 1-mile walk, is to raise awareness and funds for the Special Olympics movement.
The nonprofit organization provides year-round training and competition in more than 20 sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities ages 8 and up. Fundraisers like the Law Enforcement Torch Run keep the program free for participants.
After seeing a post on the Special Olympics Indiana Jackson County Facebook page looking for local law enforcement to participate in the run, Rogers and Wynn, both 23-year members of the Seymour Police Department, decided to go for it.
Rogers is on the county management team in Jackson County, and both he and Wynn are school resource officers and are part of SPD’s Project Lifesaver program.
“We’ve heard of it but didn’t really know much about it,” Rogers said of the Torch Run. “I saw the post, and Jason reached out to me to do this. We registered, and here we are.”
Since he helps kids through 4-H and Project Lifesaver and serves as an SRO at Seymour Middle School, Wynn said the Torch Run is another way to be involved and do what he can to make a difference.
They started an online fundraising page under Seymour Police Department and set their goal at $250 apiece. That link has been shared on their personal Facebook pages and on the county Special Olympics program’s page.
Donations may be made at secure.e2rm.com/p2p/fundraising/373847/team/981798. People also can join the team at that link.
“Just a small starting point, but I think the goal is much more than the monetary aspect of it for both of us, just to go and (support) such great people,” Rogers said.
“Maybe if we can grow it, be a little more prepared next year and get on the game ahead of time, we could set up some fundraising for that,” Wynn said.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1981. Known as Guardians of the Flame, thousands of dedicated and compassionate law enforcement members carry the Flame of Hope for Special Olympics athletes each year, symbolizing courage and celebration of diversity uniting communities around the globe.
More than 97,000 law enforcement members carry the Flame of Hope annually, and LETR has raised more than $600 million for Special Olympics programs, according to letr.org.
To prepare for the 3-mile run, Rogers said he is doing a lot of walking, and Wynn said he and his wife had started running before he and Rogers decided to do the Torch Run. Both officers also get 10,000-plus steps per day walking the hallways as SROs at their respective schools.
“I’m sure if you want to walk, you can, but the goal is to run all 3 (miles),” Rogers said.
A second Torch Run is taking place at noon June 10 at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, which will host the Special Olympics Indiana Summer Games a week later.
“We don’t know what to expect, but we’re hoping we make some good contact and become more involved with the LETR portion of it,” Rogers said. “I hear they also give away awards at some of the Summer Games and things like that, so we’ll see if we can get a foot into doing that. Also, we’ll see what they have available that we can maybe get involved in.”
Around the state, law enforcement is involved in other Special Olympics fundraisers, including the largest one, the Polar Plunge. Rogers and Wynn said they are interested in that as well as some events that could benefit the Jackson County program.
If you go
What: Special Olympics Indiana Law Enforcement Torch Run
When: 9:30 a.m. June 10 (registration starts at 8 a.m.; opening ceremonies at 9 a.m.)
Where: Begins and ends outside Victory Field in Indianapolis
Who: Seymour Police Department officers Chadd Rogers and Jason Wynn are participating
How to help: Donate to their fundraising efforts or join their team online at secure.e2rm.com/p2p/fundraising/373847/team/981798
Get involved: Distance options are a 3-mile run and a 1-mile walk; Special Olympics athletes can join in for free after signing a waiver and can wear a Summer Games or Special Olympics shirt and running attire