When Grantsville City Police Officer Alison Peterson arrived early Wednesday morning at the Dead Dog Saloon with the Special Olympics torch, she couldn’t hide her excitement, despite coming off the evening shift.
Area law enforcement officers have been joining the Tooele County Giants Special Olympics team for nearly a decade to run the torch through Grantsville, Stansbury Park and Tooele. Peterson takes the lead on organizing the event and said the athletes were already clamoring to run when she dropped off shirts earlier this week.
“They live for it; it’s their thing,” she said. “They love it.”
The feeling from local police agencies is mutual. Officers from Tooele and Grantsville, as well as Tooele County Sheriff’s deputies, were out in force to run with the athletes and provide an escort with patrol vehicles and the sheriff’s mobile command center.
“As an officer, it’s what we look forward to every year,” Peterson said.
The first leg of the run finished at Grantsville City Hall, where donuts and water were waiting after nearly 2 miles of running. Luckily the Tooele County Giants, now in their 10th season, boasted a roster of decorated runners.
The team’s leader, Cheri Gunderson, highlighted several athletes, who were excited for the torch run and the Utah Special Olympics, which kick off June 10 at Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah County.
Ben Reistetter went to the national Special Olympics competition for bocce last year, Cameron Gunderson won the gold medal in the 200 meters at the regional competition, and Ben Reistetter is running four mid-distance events this year.
Gunderson said Anne Rosales, who runs long distance events on the track, completed her first marathon in the past year. Tina Adams, a spring specialist, said she was excited to have a second opportunity to complete the torch run.
“I think it’s great to run with them and have a good time,” Adams said. “I like to hold the torch.”
As the procession of dozens of Special Olympic athletes, law enforcement officers and supporters ran down Main Street in Grantsville, they were greeted by cheers from students at Grantsville Elementary School, some brandishing paper torches. Last year the torch run took place after the end of the school year, so students weren’t there to see, and support, the event.
We go by all the schools and try to really focus it … so other people can see we’re running and showing our support for the Special Olympics and hopefully they see it,” said Chief Deputy Sheriff Brian White.
In Stansbury Park, the run began at Stansbury Elementary School and finished at Rose Springs Elementary. Tooele County Sheriff Deputy Jim White, who organized the Stansbury Park route, said he has a long history of participating in torch runs.
“We’ve been doing it for years,” he said. “The kids that ran with us for years, for every time we’ve done it, it’s a great opportunity to get to know them on a more personal level.”
Due to construction on Main Street, the torch run altered its route last year, but was back to its typical route Wednesday. Runners started at Home Depot at 2400 North and headed south along SR-36 into Tooele, ending at the Veterans Memorial Park at the intersection of Main and Vine streets.
Runners finished at the park with pizza and drinks, donated by Domino’s and Macey’s, respectively. The Tooele City Police Department organized the final leg of the torch run.
“It’s an honor for us, really, to be able to run beside these athletes and celebrate their courage and hard work,” said Tooele City Police Officer Tanya Turnbow. “They make us really proud.”