Law Enforcement bringing "Flame of Hope" through county

The community is coming together for the third year to participate in the Flame of Hope Law Enforcement Torch Run on Monday and Tuesday, June 17-18. The "Flame of Hope" torch will set off from the Canadian border on June 17 after a brief ceremony there about 1 p.m. The torch will pass through the City of Grand Marais at about 3:30 p.m. 

The flame will be carried as far as Tofte on Monday and then will be carried to the Cook-Lake County line on Tuesday. 

Law enforcement officials from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and more have signed up to carry the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope” from the Canadian border to the Cook/Lake County line. Sixteen people are running or walking and carrying the torch through the county.

Also taking part is the Cook County Schools Special Olympics Unified Club. The Cook County Unified Club will meet the torch bearer in the City of Grand Marais to cheer them on and to walk a short ways with the Flame of Hope.

Melissa Oberg, a School District 166 teacher and leader of the Cook County Unified Club invites Club members and friends to meet at World’s Best Donuts at 3 p.m. to meet the torch bearer. Oberg then invites everyone to “run, walk or stroll” from the donut shop to Bear Tree Park.

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence spoke with this year’s organizer, Cook County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Will Sandstrom and with Melissa Oberg. Listen to learn more about the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and about the Cook County Unified Club. 
Rhonda Silence learns more about the club in this feature.

The photo above shows the Cook County Unified Club waiting for the Law Enforcement torch bearer to pass through Grand Marais in the inaugural event.