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Law enforcement officers, others score strikes for Special Olympics

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Law enforcement officers from across the state spent Saturday afternoon at the bowling alley.

The second annual Strikes for Special Olympics was held at Woodland Bowl. The event was sponsored by the Law Enforcement Torch Run program, Special Olympics’ largest grassroots initiative.

Teams competed alongside Special Olympics athletes in a two-game tournament to raise funds to benefit more than 11,000 Special Olympics Indiana athletes.

Zionsville Police Department Officer Josh Chapman, who is chairperson of the event, said, “This program is extremely important to our athletes because law enforcement is one of the founding groups that helps raise funds for Special Olympics, and our athletes do not pay anything to participate. We raise all of those funds to send them to summer games, winter games and even the U.S. games and world games.”

Indiana State Police Trooper Susan Rinschler said, “It’s a great feeling for us, knowing that these athletes get to participate in sports all year around. Anything we can do to help our 11,000 athletes, it’s why we do this.”

Last year, about $18,000 was raised from the inaugural Strikes for Special Olympics event.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run started in 1981 when Wichita, Kansas, police chief Richard Lamunyon saw an urgent need to raise money for and increase awareness of Special Olympics. The program was quickly endorsed by Special Olympics, INC and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Click here for information on Special Olympics Indiana.

Click here for information on the Law Enforcement Torch Run.