NAPA COUNTY, Calif. – Now in its ninth year in Napa County, more than 30 law enforcement personnel from almost every law enforcement agency in the county will be running the Special Olympics’ Flame of Hope through Napa County on June 20.

Participating agencies include the Napa Police, Napa County Sheriff, CHP Napa, Calistoga Police, St. Helena Police, American Canyon Police, Napa Valley College Police, Napa State Hospital Police, Napa County Probation, Napa County District Attorney’s Office, and Napa County
Department of Corrections.

The Flame of Hope will start its day at 6 a.m. in Calistoga before traveling through St. Helena, Rutherford, Yountville and Napa.

It continues on to its endpoint at American Canyon around 1 p.m. The total route is 37 miles.

The event is part of the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run, a year-round fundraising campaign that will culminate at the Special Olympics Northern California Summer Games, June 22 to 24, at UC Davis.

The Special Olympics Summer Games brings together more than 700 Special Olympics athletes from throughout Northern California to compete in aquatics, bocce, tennis and track and field.

The Games officially begin after the final leg of the Torch Run has been completed and the Flame of Hope lights the Special Olympics caldron during opening ceremonies.

As one of the state’s largest grassroots fundraising efforts, the Law Enforcement Torch Run has become the single largest supporter of Special Olympics Northern California, a free year-round sports program that serves almost 14,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Since 1995, Northern California law enforcement has raised over $14 million.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run began in Redding in Shasta County. The Flame of Hope will travel hundreds of miles throughout 21 counties (including Napa) arriving at Davis on Friday, June 22, for the opening of the Summer Games.

Every officer running the torch has earned the right to be a “Guardian of the Flame” by raising funds and awareness for Special Olympics.