Torch Run comes through Easton

EASTON - A little rain could not put out the Flame of Hope at the annual Easton Police Department Special Olympics Torch Run.

In Wednesday morning's drizzle, Easton Police officers led the Talbot leg of the Torch Run, which was created to raise awareness and money to support Special Olympics.

Law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and from around the world will carry the Flame of Hope in honor of the Special Olympics athletes in their area.

"Law enforcement is very heavily involved in it all over the world," Easton Police Cpl. Lenox Trams said. "It's for a great cause."

Trams has been with EPD for 18 years and said the event has been a long-standing tradition.

"I am not sure how old the tradition is," Trams said, "but I know we have done it every year since I have been here."

The event is not only fun for the officers and the athletes but is also a great source of fundraising for the Special Olympics. For the torch run, EPD sold T-shirts to run participants and to the public for $15 each. Trams said the proceeds of the T-shirts went directly to the cause.

"We wear it with pride, in order to support the support the cause," he said. "We do several fundraisers to raise money for the athletes. It helps with their uniforms and aids in the cost of the sports that they do."

Several agencies from the Mid-Shore participated in Wednesday's run, including the Maryland State Police, Talbot County Sheriff's Office and Caroline County Sheriff's Office.

"We are here today to support Maryland Special Olympics and the Easton Police Department," Lt. Ron Dixon of the Caroline County Sheriff's Office said. "This has been a tradition with the Caroline sheriff's department, for the last 10-15 years."

He said he looks forward to the event each June and his department sends a group to participate every year.

"It's kind of our unofficial start to summer," Dixon said. "That's how we mark it."

He said since schools were dismissed early this year, several of his fellow officers were able to bring their children to the event.

"This year a lot of our schools were let out yesterday," Dixon said. "So several of us have been able to bring our kids with us today to help support the cause."

In addition to Dixon, the Caroline officers included Sheriff Randy Bounds, Dfc. Rodney Helmer, Cpl. Bryan Peris and Lt. Donald Baker.

In attendance also were Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble, Easton Mayor Robert Willey, and Al Silverstein, president and CEO of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce and an Easton town councilman.

There were 125 registered participants for this year's torch run.

The rain had cleared and the sun was beginning to shine as the participants gathered in front of the EPD, to watch Trams and Cpl. Tim Larrimore light the torch.

Once the torch was lit, it was passed around to several athletes before being handed over to officers from the Maryland State Police who carried the torch up Route 50.

The run started as more of walk through the streets of Easton until reaching Christ Church; from there the runners and walkers split up to each finish their own leg of the event. Both groups finished at the Easton Volunteer Fire Department for a celebratory lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers, pit beef sandwiches and crabs.

The route this year was a little different than in the past due to repaving being done in downtown Easton.

"Another great day in Easton," Willey said. "We are going to get the run in and the paving done and it's going to be a great time."

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