Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics to pass through Logan County June 16th
-Lincoln route to be recognized as the Second Annual Scott Brown Memorial Run
-Group will pay tribute to Brown at New Union Cemetery at approximately 2 p.m.

 

[June 11, 2022] 

On Thursday, June 16th, the Law Enforcement Torch Run will be passing through Logan County in route to Bloomington where the runners will arrive in time for the opening of the Illinois Special Olympics Summer Games on Friday the 17th.

In conjunction with the torch run, one leg of the run passing through Lincoln will be the Scott Brown Memorial Run, done in memory of Deputy Scott Brown of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office.

The community is invited to come out and show their support for the Torch Run, Special Olympics and the runners from Logan County.

The run will be taking a route along Route 66 starting the second day of the run in Springfield at approximately 8 a.m. on Thursday morning.

Throughout the day, the runners involved will be members of law enforcement joined by Special Olympians and other groups supporting the event.

In Springfield runners will be joined by the 183rd Fighter Wing Air National Guard Security Unit.

Diane Vanderkooy is retired Illinois State Police and is thoroughly dedicated to the annual torch run through this part of the state. She said this week that the run she is involved with will start in Gillespie, go to Springfield, then through Logan County and on to Bloomington. Her group of runners is one of 22 that will carry torches into Bloomington in time for the kick-off of the Illinois Summer Special Olympics on Friday.

She noted that the runners will make stops along the way. Among the scheduled stops will be one in Springfield in memory of State Trooper McMillan who was a part of the 183rd and died in the line of duty with the State Police.

The runners are expected to be at the Sangamon and Logan County line around 11 a.m. In Williamsville runners will be joined by the Williamsville Police Department and the Williamsville High School Cross Country Team. The group is expected to run from Williamsville to Elkhart, arriving in Elkhart around 12:15 p.m.

In Elkhart, the runners will be joined by Illinois State Police Forensic Department members as the event continues on to Broadwell, arriving there at approximately 1:20 p.m.
 

By shortly after 2 p.m. the group is expected to arrive in Lincoln where the leg passing through town will be labeled as the Scott Brown Memorial Run. This is the second year for the memorial run in memory of the late Scott Brown who was a Logan County Sheriff Deputy, a county D.A.R.E. officer, as well as a martial arts instructor in Lincoln. Brown died on February 14, 2021 after battling cancer. The first memorial run in his name was held that summer and was also incorporated into the Torch Run.

Lieutenant Mike Block of the Logan County Sheriff’s Department commented on the leg through Lincoln and how it came about. “Diane Vanderkooy, now retired ISP, has been a long-time participant, leader and ambassador for the Torch Run, specifically the leg which runs through Logan County. At the same time, Logan County Deputy Scott Brown was a participant. His leadership and care for this community is a large reason our leg continues to participate, even if there is only one runner available. Diane and I spoke after Scott’s passing and leading up to the Torch Run in 2021 and decided to unofficially name the section from New Union Cemetery through Lincoln, the Scott Brown Memorial Run.”

Block added, “We have reached out to some other organizations and community members to gain more participation. You see, although in the name you will find “Law Enforcement” Torch Run, it is all about the community as a whole helping to take care of their own. Any involvement with or other relationship to law enforcement is not necessary; any person can participate. The real goal is raising awareness and funds for Special Olympics Illinois.”

Vanderkooy said that the run will make a stop at New Union Cemetery and any runners who wish to join the run through Lincoln can do so there. She noted that the leg of the run through Lincoln is the Scott Brown Run and the stop at the New Union Cemetery will include a short tribute to Brown, who is laid to rest at New Union.

Vanderkooy said that she knew Brown well and admired him as a law enforcement officer and as a person with great love for young people. She noted that she was involved in an ISP tactical arrest training program, leading classes held for other law enforcement agencies. She said she came up with the thought that there were law enforcement officers in other agencies who could be a part of the instruction. When the idea came to fruition, Brown was one of the first to step up and say he would help with that training. Vanderkooy said he was a valuable asset to the program and became a good friend during that process.

Speaking about the role she would play in memorializing Trooper McMillan and Deputy Brown she said that she knew both men well, and that to be a part of remembering them was an honor and a pleasure, but it also still hurts a bit.

The runners are expected to be at New Union at 2:05 p.m. on Thursday and the community is invited to come out as well.

When the runners arrive in Lincoln, the scheduled route will be Lincoln Parkway to New Union Cemetery to South Postville Drive, to Fifth Street, South Logan Street and then Pulaski Street to the downtown area. That leg is expected to run from 2:05 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.

The group will veer off of Lincoln Parkway onto South Postville Drive so it can do a run-by at the Lincoln Center for Developmental Rehabilitation (more commonly known as Logan-Mason Rehab) at 760 South Postville Drive.
 

LCDR Administrator Karen Deany said that the clients at the facility typically spend time preparing signs to cheer on the runners. On the day of the run, she expects that several will be outside the building along the route ready to show their support for the torch run. Deany said that most of the clients at the LCDR do not participate in the run, but she is quite certain that there are other Special Olympics groups that do. The clients at LDCR want to show their support and appreciation to all those that are running to raise awareness and funding for the Special Olympics events.

Vanderkooy said that the run is planning a short stop at the LCDR, although at the time of the comment, she had not confirmed it yet with the administration. She said that the people at LCDR have always been supportive, and some of the special Olympians are there cheering and giving them heartwarming encouragement. She wants the group of runners to stop just to say hello to all and spend some quality time with the staff and clients of the facility.

After passing through the downtown area, the run will then proceed on North Kickapoo Street past Graue Chevrolet. Runners will leave Lincoln at approximately 2:50 p.m. and travel on to the Lawndale area arriving there at 3:45 p.m. and then at Atlanta by 4:30 p.m. This will end the day for the runners, with the run resuming on Friday, June 17th at approximately 9 a.m.

Vanderkooy said the goal is to reach Atlanta before calling it a day, but that doesn’t always happen. She said there was more than a good chance that the group would end the day in Lincoln, then get off to a strong start on Friday on the final stretch of the run.

On Friday, the runners will exit Logan County and continue on to Bloomington. The run will end in Bloomington at the Double Tree Hotel at approximately 12:45 p.m.

The arrival in Bloomington will coincide with the opening day of the Illinois Special Olympics Summer Competitions. Participating Special Olympians are expected to arrive in Bloomington throughout the morning. There will be special activities throughout the afternoon with the opening ceremony for the athletic competitions scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

The ceremonies will begin with a participant parade starting at 6 p.m. and will conclude at approximately 9:15 p.m. with a fireworks show. Ceremonies will be held at the Illinois State University Track and Hancock Stadium.

The Special Olympics competitions will continue through Sunday, June 19th.
 

On Thursday, the community is encouraged to come out along the Logan County route a cheer on the runners. Showing support for the effort of the many law enforcement officers, Special Olympians and other groups joining in the run boosts the morale of the runners and shows them that what they are doing is important to all of us.

The route is generally going to be along Route 66 and with the run passing through various Logan County towns and communities, there is plenty of opportunity to stand along the sidelines with posters and other signs of support.

Anyone who wishes to provide a donation to the Torch Run may do so in a variety of ways including two ongoing raffles for a Coleman 17B camper or for a Harley Davison Motorcycle. Raffles tickets for the camper may be purchased by visiting https://www. soill.org/blog/events/camper-raffle/.  Tickets for the motorcycle may be obtained by visiting https://www.soill.org/ blog/events/HARLEY-RAFFLE/

Ticket Sales for both raffles will close on October 7th with the drawing for the winners conducted on October 14th.

[Nila Smith]