Despite Driving Rain, Police Keep Special Olympics 'Flame of Hope' Burning

Everything about them was drenched except for their spirits, as police officers ran 4.6 miles through Bergenfield, Dumont and New Milford in the driving rain Friday morning in the 30th annual Law Enforcement Torch Run to support the Special Olympics of New Jersey. 

Carrying the "Flame of Hope" through the New Milford leg of the run was Frank Papapietro, Chief of the New Milford Police Department. Papapietro, who ran the entire length of the course, said that being able to run for those who can't only serves to quicken the pace.

"I know many children with special needs and that was the only inspiration I needed to keep going the distance," Papapietro said. "Those children and their families face far bigger challenges every day than getting wet in the rain."

Torches from all over the state of New Jersey are making their way to The College of New Jersey in Ewing where the opening ceremonies of the Special Olympics Summer Games are taking place Friday evening. 

"22 torches are being run over 750 miles across the state today by law enforcement officers," said James McKeever, retired officer from the Port Authority Police Department. "We have 22 torches in motion making their way to The College of New Jersey for tonight's opening ceremonies."

McKeever and fellow Port Authority officer Steven Vitale were among the founding members of the Torch Run that began in Wichita, Kansas in 1983 and they brought to New Jersey in 1984. Vitale was killed in a road rage incident in 2006.

"Steve was a photographer and his mother told him he should try taking pictures of the athletes competing in the Special Olympics at Rutgers," McKeever said. "Steve was so moved by the determination of these kids that the next year he got a bunch of us to volunteer at the games."

McKeever said that they started as 'huggers' for those running the track and field events. Eventually, they started to get more involved and began to host fundraisers. 

"When we heard about the Wichita Torch Run in '83, we knew we wanted to do that in New Jersey," McKeever said. "And in 1984, we did."

The original course went from Liberty State Park in Jersey City to Rutgers Stadium in New Brunswick, running 43 miles through eight towns and raising $7,000.

McKeever said that last year's Torch Run raised $3 million. "I'm hoping we break that number this year," he said.

According to McKeever, all the money raised goes directly to support the athletes and their families. "We don't want them to have to put a dime out to compete in these games," he said. 

ShopRite is a Champion Partner of the New Jersey Games, and each year, provides food, funds and hundreds of volunteers for the annual event. Papapietro and the team of runners from New Milford, Bergenfield and Dumont police departments, brought the torch to New Milford's ShopRite before finishing the run at the New Milford Police Department Headquarters. 

Mike Carr, Chief of the Bergenfield Police Department, also ran the entire length of the course. Carr kicked off the start of the race carrying the "Flame of Hope" as it made its way through Bergenfield on its way to New Milford.   

"I'm so proud to see how law enforcement comes out to support the Special Olympics in the Torch Run," McKeever said. "They come out here every year in all kinds of weather to run for those who can't."

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