JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Law enforcement professionals from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Thurston County and the City of Lakewood joined together June 4 to support athletes participating in the 2025 Special Olympics Washington Spring Games, running with 12 of them on JBLM in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Washington.
Runners, including representatives from the JBLM Provost Marshal Office, 504th Military Police Battalion, 627th Security Forces Squadron and I Corps Law Enforcement Activity, carried the ceremonial Flame of Hope on a 1.5-mile route, starting at the Iron Mike Memorial and ending at the Provost Marshal Office.
The torch was passed from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office to the Provost Marshal Office during the opening ceremony, and then from the Provost Marshal Office to the Lakewood Police Department during the closing ceremony, continuing the path to the spring games, with opening ceremonies being held June 20 at Cheney Stadium, Tacoma.
“You’re not only carrying a torch – you’re carrying a message,” said JBLM Provost Marshal Lt. Col. Abby Lanni. “The message says that everyone belongs, everyone matters, and together we’re building a more inclusive and just world. Let the flame being carried today ignite unity and hope in every community that you touch.”
Alexander Facer, 21, will play golf in the games. He said he was nervous before the JBLM torch run began, but he stepped up to the podium and led the Special Olympics Athlete Oath during the opening ceremony: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
“It’s mostly for fun,” Facer said. “And it’s nice to win, but it’s always fun to go out and do what I love.”
Rick Wade, a retired, former Lakewood Police Department employee, has been voluntarily coordinating the torch runs in Pierce County for 23 years. The athletes’ smiles keep him coming back every year, he said.
“You need to actually experience it,” Wade said, explaining that others need to see the athletes in their environment. “I try to get more people involved.”
Lanni emphasized that the torch run was “more than just an event.”
“We celebrate inclusion, we celebrate dignity and we celebrate a belief that each and every individual, regardless of abilities, deserves the opportunity to compete and to be respected,” she said. “To our Special Olympics athletes, you inspire us daily. With every challenge you overcome, you teach us what true strength looks like. Your resiliency is unparalleled and your determination is unwavering, and we enjoy partnering with you each and every year.”
To learn more about the 2025 Special Olympics Washington Spring Games, visit https://specialolympicswashington.org/event/2025-state-spring-games/.
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