Special Olympic Torch Run To Come Through Liberal

Over 650 officers from over 60 agencies will carry the Flame of Hope throughout 28 counties in Kansas as they travel to the annual Special Olympics Summer Games held in Wichita. The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) is a series of statewide runs which will kick off on May 30th and will travel throughout the state over the week long journey. The ź??Flame of Hope will arrive in Wichita on Friday, June 5th. Law Enforcement Officers along with LP Esquibel, athlete of the Dodge City Dodgers Special Olympics Team and the 2008 Most Inspirational Athlete will light the cauldron to officially open the 2009 Summer Games in front of over 2,400 athletes, coaches and fans.

Locally, the torch run will be led by coordinator, Tony Brown of the Cross Kansas Relay Team. The Southwest Area Torch Run will kick off at SW Gas at 1330 S. Kansas Avenue, Liberal, KS at 8:00 a.m. on May 30th. The run will continue by following Kansas Avenue north and end at Seward County Community College. The run will continue through Garden City south on Taylor Avenue and then go east on Kansas Avenue. By 11:30 a.m. the torch will arrive in Dodge City by horseback from KHP, traveling down the historic Santa Fe Trail. A second leg will start at Hi-Plains Farm Equipment at 1509 S 2nd Ave and continue north on 2nd Avenue. Both torches will converge in historic downtown Dodge City where a BBQ lunch will be served. The torch will arrive in Greensburg, KS at 1:40 p.m. with a ceremony held at City Park. The torch will continue on to Pratt, KS where Southwest Winds athletes will greet the torch at Lemon Park. It will arrive at Kingman, KS by 4:30 p.m. and be carried down Highway 54 to Wichita.