Final leg of 2022 Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run coming to Stirrups ‘n Strides on June 2

Stirrups and Strides Therapeutic Riding Center, Inc., will be part of the final leg of the 2022 Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run on Thursday, June 2, at 8:30 a.m., according to a May 12 press release.

Held at Stirrups ‘n Strides Quail Roost Covered Arena, 4246 W. Hwy 318, in Citra, the event will help send off four Marion County equestrian competitors to the Special Olympics: Becky Richter, Kathy Gray, Ashley Quesnel and Adam Warch.

The Games will be held in Orlando, starting on June 5 and ending on June 12.

“Stirrups ‘n Strides is proud and excited to have four competitors in the Equestrian Games at the USA Special Olympics Games,” said officials close to the event. “We are also honored to be a site for the Torch Run for these Games. We welcome our community to come and cheer on the athletes at our Center during the Torch Run ceremony and give them a big send off!”

The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for the Special Olympics is one of the largest grassroots fundraisers for the international event, according to the press release. More than 100,000 law enforcement members in all 50 U.S. states, 12 Canadian provinces/territories and 44 other countries contribute to LETR efforts annually.

At its most basic level, the LETR is an actual running event where law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes run the “Flame of Hope” into the opening ceremonies for the 2022 Special Olympics.

Overall, the LETR takes place from May 20-June 6. A team of 70 members—which includes 55 law enforcement officer runners, six Special Olympics athletes and logistics personnel—will serve as “Guardians of the Flame” as they run the “Flame of Hope,” starting in Chicago, Illinois, all the way to Miami, Florida, and up the coast to the opening ceremonies.

On Thursday, June 2, the event ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m., but event organizers encourage people wishing to attend to arrive at 8 a.m. Refreshments will be available.

For more information, call Public Relations/Communications Program Manager Gail McDaniel at (941) 809-3908 or reach out by email at programmgr@stirrupsnstrides.com.