Nearly 100 law enforcement agents and military personnel participated in the 2005 Final Leg. (click for larger image)

The Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run's biggest event of the year kicked off early on June 3, with nearly 100 representatives from law enforcement agencies throughout the state gathering in Frankfort for the opening of the 2005 Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg.

While most of the events Torch Run volunteers participate in are fundraising oriented, the Final Leg continues to be a primarily a day-long celebration of what Torch Run volunteers have accomplished on behalf of Special Olympics during the past year. This year was no different, and while the $173,000 raised by Torch Run organizations in Kentucky was plenty to celebrate on its own, the FInal Leg also welcomed the return of some participants who had been away for two years.

Troops from Fort Campbell, back for the Final Leg for the first time in two years, escort the "Flame of Hope" up the drive at Stewart Home School in Frankfort.

Fort Campbell had always played a role in the Torch Run, bit raising money and participating in the Final Leg, but that all changed when many of Fort Campbell's units were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. This year , Fort Campbell was able to return to the Final Leg with 60 members from the 163rd Military Police, 56st Military Police, E Company and the Fort Campbell Fire Department taking part.

The Final Leg got underway for the second consecutive year at Stewart Home School in Frankfort, where the Final Leg participants ran from the front gate to the main building. They were joined for part of the route by residents of the facility and were greeted by more residents for a short program on campus. The Stewart Home residents also presented Lieutenant Colonel Darryl Johnson of Fort Campbell and the other troops with a certificate welcoming them home.

Special Olympics athletes Peggy Stoner and Brenna Garber cheer for the FInal Leg participants at Stewart Home School.

From Frankfort, it was on to Georgetown, where the Final Leg team ran from Main Street down into the Georgetown College campus. They were greeted there by Special Olympics athletes from Scott County. Georgetown Mayor Everett Varney and Police Chief and Torch Run volunteer Greg Reeves addressed the group. Also, Jonathan Major, a participant in the Georgetown Citizens Police Academy, presented Kentucky Torch Run Liaison Charlie Blain with a check representing money the CPA raised on behalf of the Torch Run.

The group headed from Georgetown into Lexington, where they made their annual stop at the Police Memorial and Viet Nam veterans memorial in Lexington's Phoenix Park. After running from Rupp Arena up to the park, the agents honored the sacrifices made by both law enforcement and military colleagues.

Lt. Colonel Darryl Johnson from Fort Campbell talks to a Scott County Special Olympics athlete and coaches at the Final Leg stop in Georgetown.

The run portion of the Final Leg once again closed with a 2.8-mile run from Arlington Country Club in Richmond to the Stratton Building on the Eastern Kentucky University campus, which houses the state's Department of Criminal Justice Training.

Following the run participants geared up for the highlight of night, presenting the "Flame of Hope" at the Opening Ceremonies of the Special Olympics Kentucky State Summer Games. All Final Leg participants guided the torch into Alumni Coliseum, led by Charlie Bell of the Kentucky Department of Corrections (Covington) who carried the Flame to the stage, escorted by a Stewart Home School athlete. Kentucky Torch Run Director Amy Brown was called forward to declare the Games open, but deferred the honor to Col. Johnson from Fort Campbell.

Final Leg participants pause near the Police and Viet Nam War memorials at Phoenix Park in Lexington.

The Madison County FOP Lodge 47 hosted a reception for all participants for the second year in a row. The reception included the announcement of the annual Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run awards. Brian Bray of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and FOP Lodge 25 earned the Above and Beyond award. Bray raised more than $11,600 for Special Olympics in the past year, including being crowned King of the Louisville Polar BEar Plunge as the event's leading fundraiser with a total of more than $6,100 raised for that event alone. Greg Baxter of the Owensboro Police Department received the Inspire Greatness Award. Baxter helped plan the first ever Owensboro Polar Bear Plunge, organized a Cops and Lobsters event in Owensboro and also volunteered at the State Softball Tournament which is held in Owensboro every September. He raised more than $10,300 in the past year. The New Hero Award went to Private First Class John Sanders of the Fort Campbell Military Police. PFC Sanders was the liaison between the base and the Torch Run for the past year and helped organize a base walk-a-thon that raised more than $2,500. Darrell Brangers was awarded the Fanning the Flame award. Brangers' Elizabethtown Police Department has continued to grow in it's Torch Run involvement, raising more than $8,600 in the past year. Charlie Bell was named the winner of the Carl Yates Leadership Award. Bell has helped organize the Newport Polar Bear Plunge for several years, and this year he took on the task of organizing one of the more ambitions local runs in recent Kentucky Torch Run history.

Led by 2005 Carl Yates Leadership Award recipient Charlie Bell, the 2005 FInal Leg participants escort the "Flame of Hope" into the 2005 Special Olympics Kentucky State Summer Games Opening Ceremonies.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Final Leg this year, and who helped make the event such a success, including Stewart Home School, CARQUEST, Georgetown COllege, the City of Georgetown, Scott County Special Olympics, Lexington-Fayette Department of Police and Madison COunty FOP Lodge 47 and Lodge President Mitch Brown.Also thanks to all the departments that allowed their officers time to participate. Many also allowed equipment to make the trip to participate in the Final Leg, including the Covington Police Department, Daviess County Constables, Daviess County Detention Center, Fort Campbell, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Louisville Metro Police, Monticello Police Department and the Richmond Police Department.

The 2006 Final Leg is set for Friday, June 2. Contact Special Olympics Kentucky Torch Run liaison Charlie Blain at 800-633-7403 or 502-695-8222 to find out how you're department can be involved.

2005 Torch Run Award Winners
ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD - Brian Bray, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department/Jefferson County Sheriff’s Lodge #25

INSPIRE GREATNESS AWARD - Greg Baxter, Owensboro Police Department

NEW HERO AWARD - PFC John Sanders, Fort Campbell Military Police

FANNING THE FLAME AWARD - Darrell Brangers, Elizabethtown Police Department

CARL YATES LEADERSHIP AWARD - Charlie Bell, Kentucky Probation and Parole