Recently, law enforcement officers traded in their badges for plates to serve guests and raise funds for Special Olympics Tennessee.
The Tip-A-Cop fundraiser, hosted at Blue Moon Waterfront Grille, brought together law enforcement officers and guests to support Special Olympics Tennessee. The event was sponsored by the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) and raised funds and awareness for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
During the event, officers served dishes and went from table to table to explain LETR and Special Olympics’ mission of providing competitive athletic opportunities to individuals with IDD. All “tips” received during their service went directly to SOTN, raising over $1,350.
“Getting to really talk to people and answer questions about our jobs has been my favorite moment from tonight,” said one State Trooper. “Usually, people talk to us in hurried conversations at traffic stops, but tonight, they’re really understanding why we do the work we do.”
The Law Enforcement Torch Run was founded in the early 1980s and has since become the largest public awareness campaign and fundraiser for Special Olympics worldwide. Known as the Guardians of the Flame, over 150,000 law enforcement officers from all US states, 12 Canadian provinces and 48 countries carry the symbolic “Flame of Hope” into the Opening Ceremonies of Special Olympics events at every competitive level.
Former Metro Nashville Police Chief Joe Casey was a long-time supporter of Special Olympics and was instrumental in bringing the Law Enforcement Torch Run into a global movement. In 1986, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) held its conference in Nashville. During the conference, then-Metro Police Chief Joe Casey initiated the Tennessee Law Enforcement Torch Run. Each year, Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Tennessee hosts the Chief Joe Casey Memorial Run to honor his legacy.
“When he ran for president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, he asked if the association had a service project," said Starr Herman, Chief Joe Casey's daughter.. "They said no, and he proposed they support Special Olympics with a torch run. He traveled the world spreading the word about the cause and even met the Pope.”
Years later, as a high school teacher, Herman made LETR her own project and worked with her database class to build SOTN’s very first website.
“My dad is the reason so much of this is happening—he’s a legacy," said Herman. "The people who work with athletes get even more out of it than the athletes themselves—sheer joy.”
Trooper Brown, who has participated in multiple Torch Runs, said, “I came to Tip-A-Cop because I believe in what Special Olympics stands for. Meeting the athletes at events reaffirms time and time again that these are remarkable individuals.”
With over $1 billion raised worldwide through the Law Enforcement Torch Run, the movement is continuing to change lives.
To learn more about Law Enforcement Torch Run, click here.
