CHICAGO — In just a few weeks, a group of 54 talented athletes from Illinois will head off to compete in the Special Olympics, eagerly anticipating the chance to demonstrate their remarkable skills on a prominent platform.
These athletes, filled with enthusiasm, are excited to participate in the prestigious event. “I’m competing in bocce for the USA Games in Minnesota, and I’m very excited,” said April Papke, a first-time participant from Naperville.
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For Papke, the opportunity to compete in the Special Olympics is a dream come true. Her anticipation reflects the excitement shared by all the Illinois athletes preparing for this monumental event.
As part of the build-up to the games, police officers and Special Olympics athletes convened at Soldier Field for the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg. This significant gathering began with the ceremonial lighting of the Flame of Hope, fittingly held at Soldier Field, the birthplace of the Special Olympics.
Police officers and Special Olympics athletes gathered at Soldier Field for the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg Friday.
The event started with the ceremonial lighting of the Flame of Hope at Soldier Field, the birthplace of the Special Olympics.
“This moment actually means a lot. Running was actually my way of destressing,” Alex Huegea said. “I got to compete last time in athletics, and now this time I get to serve in another capacity. So I get to run the torch.”
Local law enforcement officers ran alongside special Olympic athletes as a symbol of unity and inclusion.
“This cause is very near and dear to me as I have a brother who’s a Special Olympic athlete,” said Debbie Henning, with the Lockport Police Department. “When I became a police officer, I felt the need to go out and raise the funds to help athletes be able to continue to compete.”
“Special Olympics at its core really is about belonging, you know, in a world where a lot of our athletes, people with down syndrome, fragile X, somewhere on the autism spectrum, aren’t typically welcomed in the world and don’t have a place. And if you ask any one of our athletes, probably the No. 1 thing they’ll tell you that they love about Special Olympics is it’s where their friends are. It’s where they belong,” said Pete Beale-DelVecchio, president and CEO of Special Olympics Illinois.
The Flame of Hope will be making its first ever coast-to-coast journey, before ending in Minnesota, where the games begin in June.
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