Corrections officers and other law enforcement agencies in Okaloosa County will participate in this year’s Torch Run for Special Olympics Florida on March 12.
- The event features two separate routes through the county.
The north county leg begins at 9 a.m. at the Publix at Northcrest, located at 1355 North Ferdon Blvd. in Crestview. Participants should gather at 8 a.m. to sign waivers before the run. The route will travel down Industrial Boulevard and continue south for 1.5 miles to Stillwell Boulevard, then turn left on Stillwell Boulevard and finish at the Crestview Police Department parking lot.
For the south county leg, participants will gather at 11 a.m. at the Publix located at 610 Eglin Parkway NE at the corner of Racetrack Road in Fort Walton Beach. This portion of the run will begin at approximately 11:15 a.m., proceeding south on Eglin Parkway, and will conclude at the City of Fort Walton Beach Brooks Landing City Park at noon.
- Lunch and bottled water will be provided at the park for participants in the south county run.
The Okaloosa event is part of a larger statewide effort involving over 300 Florida agencies, including police departments, sheriff’s offices, Florida Department of Corrections, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, FBI, DEA, U.S. Customs, Air Force Police and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Each year, more than 5,000 officers carry the torch on a 1,500-mile relay through all 67 Florida counties. The intrastate torch relay will start at the end of March and culminate at the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics Florida State Games, where officers from around the state bring the Flame of Hope into the stadium.
- Funding comes through contributions from individuals and businesses along the route and through sales of Torch Run T-shirts and caps.
