2024 Law Enforcement Torch Run
For Special Olympics Michigan
“40th Year”
This year marks the 40th year for the Michigan Law Enforcement Torch Run. The run will take place on September 10, 2024. More information to come on the run.
We are currently selling commemorative t-shirts and challenge coins as part of the fundraising efforts that support Michigan Special Olympics.
Gerrish Police Department is a “Sapphire” Sponsor so help us keep this level and purchase some shirts and coins!!
Shirts are dark gray with navy and white lettering and made of a cotton/poly/spandex blend. They are available in sizes Adult Small thru XXX-Large.
Please contact Julie at Gerrish PD (989) 821-5207 Ext. 291 or email jhill@gerrishpolice.org to place your order.
SHIRTS $20.00 Each
CHLLENGE COINS $10.00 Each
2024 “40 Year” Anniversary RUN SHIRT
The 2024 Annual TORCH RUN for Gerrish Township will take place on September 10th at 6:00 pm (Check in begins at 5:00 pm). The 5K run/walk/bicycle event will start at the Gerrish Twp. Police Department and end at the South Higgins Lake State Park pavilion/boat basin area.
Registration fee is $30 and includes the blue run shirt shown above, hot dogs, chips, water after at the end and bus transportation back to your vehicle.
Registration forms are available below, at the Gerrish Police Department or you can register online at https://www.classy.org/event/2024-flame-of-hope-week/e572129.
You can also register your dog for $10 and they will receive a run shirt also!
All proceeds support Michigan Special Olympics. Help us keep our “Sapphire Level” sponsorship status and consider participating in this fun event or purchase a commemorative t-shirt or challenge coin.
2023 Law Enforcement Torch Run
Our Department will be hosting our annual Law Enforcement TORCH RUN on September 12, 2023 at 6:00 pm (Registration will begin at 5:00 pm). The 5K run/bicycle/walk event will start at the Gerrish Township Police Department and end at the South Higgins Lake State Park Boat Basin/Pavilion area. Registration fee is $30 per person (or $10 for your dog) and includes the Annual Flame of Hope shirt (these are different than the green sale shirts shown below).
After the event, hot dogs, chips and bottled water will be provided along with bus transportation back to your vehicle.
Registration forms are available at the Gerrish PD, a copy is included below, or on-line at https://www.classy.org/event/2023-flame-of-hope-week/e479671.
Available NOW…Sale Shirts for $20 each and Cash Raffle Tickets for $10 each, Gun Raffle Tickets for $20 each.
Stop by the Gerrish Police Department and purchase shirts or raffle tickets, contact any Gerrish Police Officer or Julie at (989) 821-5207 Ext. 291 or email at jhill@gerrishpolice.org.
Click on the link below for a fillable/printable PDF copy of the registration form:
2023 Runner Registration Fillable
2022 Law Enforcement Torch Run
The 2022 Gerrish Township Community Run for LETR will take place on Tuesday, September 13, 2022. The run will start at the Gerrish Township Police Department and end at the South Higgins Lake State Park Boat Basin area. Run will start at 6:00 pm with registration beginning at 5:00 pm. There will be hot dogs, chips and water served at the end of the run and bus transportation will be provided back to the Police Department. This is a 5K run/walk/bicycle event hosted by the Gerrish Township Police Department and all proceeds go to Special Olympics Michigan.
Registration Fee is $25.00 and includes a run shirt (which you will receive the day of the event at registration). Registration forms are available at the Gerrish Twp. Police Department or you can print a copy: https://www.gerrishpolice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022-Runner-Registration.pdf
You can also register online (fee is $30 and includes the run shirt which will be mailed to you) at: https://www.classy.org/event/2022-flame-of-hope-week/e400668
2022 LETR Sale Shirts Available NOW
Sale Shirts are $10.00 Each
Heather Blue color in a 52/48 cotton/poly blend
Available in Adult Sizes Small – XXLarge
Available at the Gerrish Township Police Department
Contact Julie Hill at (989) 821-5207 Ext. 291 to place an order
Cash or Checks Only (Checks Payable to SOMI)
2021 Law Enforcement TORCH RUN
THANK YOU to all of the participants that came out yesterday for our Gerrish Township Community Run for Special Olympics Michigan!! We had 56 runners/walkers/bicyclists and even 3 canine friends that participated in the 5K route that started at the Gerrish Twp. Police Department and ended at the South Higgins Lake State Park.
Participants were escorted by the Gerrish Twp. Police Department, Gerrish Twp. Fire Department and the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Office. Everyone enjoyed refreshments, hot dogs and chips afterwards.
Our event raised $2,300.00 which will go toward the 2021 State Campaign goal of $77,500. The Campaign total is currently over this goal by $8,000 and Run Week is still going on.
All funds raised support Special Olympic athletes who compete all year in the Special Olympics Michigan games. A portion of the funds raised by each community group will help support athletes in local areas. Thank you to Mike Eva, SOMI Area 4 for arranging an aid station along the route and to the three local Special Olympic athletes that bicycled during our event.
A huge THANK YOU to the Gerrish Twp. Police Officers and Gerrish CERT Team that provided assistance during the event and to the Roscommon Area Public Schools for providing bus transportation and to Roscommon Family Fare for providing hot dogs and water.
A special THANK YOU to the local agencies that participated including the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Office, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, MSP, Kirtland Police Academy Cadets and the DNR Law Enforcement Division.
THANK YOU also to the citizens that came out to support this wonderful cause. Your participation has provided hope, courage and inspiration to those with intellectual disabilities.
SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR FOR THE 2022 LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN!!
PRE-RUN Shirts are $10 each and available in sizes from Adult Small to XX Large. Heather blue color in a 65/35 poly/cotton blend. Help support Special Olympics Michigan and purchase your shirts while they are in stock. Available at the Gerrish Twp. Police Department and The Bird & The Bear Grill. TORCH RUN will take place September 15, 2021. This is a 5K run/walk/bicycle event that will begin at the Gerrish Twp. Police Department and end at the South Higgins Lake State Park.
2021 Torch Run Registration Information
Registration Fee is $30 per person and includes an annual Run Week Shirt. The Gerrish Township Community Run is a 5K Run/Walk/Bicycle event that starts at the Gerrish Township Police Department and ends at the South Higgins Lake State Park pavilion by the boat basin/launch area. Bus transportation will be provided for the return trip from the park back to the PD and hot dogs, chips and water will be provided at the end of the run. Registration will start at 5:00 p.m. on the date of the run, September 15, 2021 and the run will start at 6:00 p.m.
2020 Law Enforcement Torch Run
Run Week September 11-18, 2020
This year’s annual Torch Run for Special Olympics Michigan has been changed to a VIRTUAL EVENT. The reason behind going VIRTUAL for this year’s event is to keep this ongoing tradition alive while making sure everyone stays safe and healthy and to encourage fundraising for LETR and the athletes of Special Olympics Michigan.
Run Week is scheduled for September 11th – 18th this year. Run Week is one of LETR’s largest awareness tools and fundraising events. If you would like to participate in this year’s VIRTUAL EVENT, please follow this link: http://give.classy.org/runweek2020.
Your $30 donation fee will include a commemorative shirt that will be shipped directly to you. You can create a team or run/walk/jog by yourself. Depending on social distancing guidelines coming this fall, you may be able to walk with others in your community, organization or department. During Run Week, wear your shirts when you go out and run/walk/jog with a group (whatever is approved at that time), solo, family, friends or even your dogs. Take photos and submit them showing you participated in the Virtual Run for LETR/SOMI with the following hashtags: #LETRMIVIRTUAL or #LETRMI. Your photos will be posted throughout that week on Facebook page “Michigan Law Enforcement Torch Run.”
We also currently have pre-run sale shirts available at the Gerrish Twp. Police Department for $10 each! These shirts are a heather gray 50/50 cotton/poly blend with the printed design as shown in the above photo on the front and the sponsors on the back. These are available in Adult sizes S-XXL. If you would like to purchase shirts, please contact Julie Hill at (989) 821-5207 Ext. 291 or email at jhill@gerrishpolice.org and we will hold one with your name on it or you can pick them up at the Police Department. (These shirts are different from the shirts that you get if you register for the event.)
ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT SPECIAL OLYMPICS MICHIGAN and half of the funds raised by our Community Run will go to our local Special Olympics Athletes. Please help us out in supporting this VIRTUAL event!!
2019 Law Enforcement Torch Run
The 2019 Law Enforcement Torch Run will be on Wednesday, September 11, 2019. Registration will begin at 5 pm at the Gerrish Township Police Department. The run will begin at 6pm. The run will begin at the Gerrish Township Police Department and end at the South Higgins Lake State Park Boat Basin Pavilion. There will be hot dogs, chips, and water provided at the end of the event. Participants are welcome to run, walk, or bike!
We can not wait to see everyone at this event!
To register please click on the link to sign up online or to print a registration form and turn it in to the Gerrish Township Police Department. All participants that register prior to August 26, 2019 will be guaranteed to receive a t-shirt at the event. All participants that register after August 26, 2019 will receive a t-shirt depending on if the Special Olympics of Michigan have a t-shirt remaining in that size.
2019 Law Enforcement Torch Run pre-run shirts and raffle tickets are still available to purchase. The t-shirts are $10.00 each and the raffle tickets are $5.00 each. The t-shirts are available in sizes Small – XX Large. The raffle ticket prizes include: 1st – 2019 Ford Escape, 2nd – $1,000 Gift Card, and 3rd – Lap Top. T-shirts and / or raffle tickets can be purchased at the Gerrish Township Police Department or by contacting Officer Fick at sfick@gerrishpolice.org. The pre-run t-shirt design is below.
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE SHIRTS, RAFFLE TICKETS, AND THE RUN WILL GO TO MICHIGAN SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
2018 Law Enforcement Torch Run
Lighting the Torch “Flame of Hope” was Special Olympian Steward Miller of St. Helen and retired Michigan State Police Lt. Mark Uribe.
The Gerrish Township Community Run for the 2018 Law Enforcement Torch Run was held on September 11, 2018. The run started at the Gerrish Twp. Municipal Center and ended at the South Higgins Lake State Park Boat Basin area (at the picnic pavilion). Runners and bikers were provided water, hot dogs and chips compliments of Family Fare of Roscommon.
$1150 was raised from the event which supports Special Olympics of Michigan and half of the funds we raise support our local Special Olympic Athletes!
Thank you to all of the participants including the Houghton Lake Cross Country Team, DNR State Park employees, Sheriff Ed Stern and the Kirtland Community College Regional Police Academy Cadets, the Gerrish CERT team, Gerrish Police Officers and event coordinator Officer Shannon Fick.
Next year will be the 10th Annual LETR sponsored by Gerrish Twp. Police Department. We will be moving the run back to a Wednesday (usually the second week in September) and are going to try to start at 5:00 p.m. instead of 4:00 p.m. so that we can get more participation for this very worthwhile event.
2018 pre-run fundraising shirts are available for purchase at the Gerrish Township Police Department. These are different from the participant shirts and are a 65% polyester/35% cotton blend (pre-shrunk) in black with the above printing on the front in white and gold. They are $10 each and are available in sizes Small through 2XL.
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE RUN AND THE SHIRT SALES GOES TO MICHIGAN SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
2017 Law Enforcement Torch Run
Thank you to all the participants and volunteers that made our Gerrish 2017 Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run a great success! We had 67 participants and raised over $1700 for Michigan Special Olympics. The run took place on September 13, 2017 and started at the Gerrish Township Municipal Center and ended at the South Higgins Lake State Park boat launch area.
Pre-run shirts are available as a fundraiser for Michigan Special Olympics for $10.00 each. They are available in sizes Small – XX Large and can be purchased at the Gerrish Township Police Department. ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE SHIRTS AND THE RUN WILL GO TO MICHIGAN SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
FRONT OF SHIRT DETAIL ON FRONT OF SHIRT
Thank you to all the participants, volunteers and local law enforcement members that participated in our Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics that took place on SEPTEMBER 14, 2016. We changed the run route up a bit this year and started at the Gerrish Township Municipal Center and ended at the South Higgins Lake State Park boat launch area where refreshments and hot dogs were served. Transportation was provided from the South State Park back to the Gerrish Township Municipal Center parking lot. We had 64 participants including the Kirtland Community College Regional Police Academy Cadets and a team from the Roscommon County Department of Health and Human Services. Our community run is one in a series of more than 2-dozen community runs that were scheduled this September around the state during Law Enforcement Torch Run Week!
We are proud to announce that we raised approximately $2400.00 and a major portion of those proceeds goes directly to our local Special Olympic athletes!
Thank you for your Support and we look forward to hosting our next Annual LETR Gerrish Community Run in September of 2017.
2016 Torch Run Photos
2015 Torch Run Photos
2014 Torch Run Photos
