Queen Elizabeth School parades Flame of Hope through Picton

Special Olympics competitor Luke Flynn, of Picton, was accompanied by about 300 students and staff from Queen Elizabeth Public School as carried the ‘Flame of Hope’ through town on Wednesday.

Luke Flynn

Flynn is a multi-medal winning competitive swimmer at Special Olympics games and the annual Ontario Law Enforcement Torch Run benefit him, and 23,000 other athletes.

He was also joined by members of the Prince Edward County OPP detachment as the run is the official charity of choice for the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. The run celebrates its 31st anniversary this year and has raised more than $40 million since 1987. The Flame of Hope, a symbol of courage and celebration of diversity, is carried in more than 150 communities.

Local organizer Cst. Stacey Campbell, with the Napanee OPP detachment, notes the run has two objectives – to raise funds to benefit programs of the Special Olympics, and to raise awareness.

In Picton, the run was launched with a $300 donation, presented by Brian Kauk, on behalf of masons with Lake Lodge #215, Ameliasburgh.

Teachers walking with the students carried buckets to collect donations offered during the walk from the school to the Sobey’s grocery store where owner Jamie Yeo handed out freezies and water to the walkers.

Special Olympics Ontario – Belleville & Quinte West – has seven athletes who have qualified to participate in the National Summer Games in Antigonish, NS (July 31 – Aug. 4) and the National Bowling Championships in PEI (May 13 – 17). Competiting in athletics are Adam James, Blair Bastien and Gaerrisen Freeland; 5-pin bowling competitors are Matthew LeBlanc and Janice Burton while Donald Winter is 10-pin bowling. John Tinney will be swimming. The National Summer Games is a qualifier for the 2019 World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi (March 14-21).