NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Special Olympics torch made its way across central Kentucky before opening ceremonies could begin in Richmond. The Law Enforcement Torch Run completed its final leg through Frankfort, Nicholasville, and Lexington before ending in Richmond ahead of the ceremonies.
“We’re showing our athletes that we care about them. We’re showing them that we’ll pick up the torch and continue to run the torch for them,” said Bullitt County K-9 Sergeant Trevor Ford, the torch run coordinator.
The Nicholasville Police Department participated in a leg of the run for the first time in 15 years. The torch run has seen an increase in participation from police departments across Kentucky, thanks in part to Sgt. Ford.
“I’m ready to grow this to as big as it possibly can be,” he said.
Sgt. Ford first became involved with the Special Olympics at a fundraiser in 2012. He later became more involved by helping at the summer games, a decision that changed his life.
“At the competition in the summer games, when the athletes go to the medal stands to get their medals, law enforcement are the ones that award those medals to them,” Sgt. Ford said. “When you get to put that medal around their neck, they come up to you, they give you a big ole hug. I mean, that right there is what seals the deal for me.”
In 2017, Sgt. Ford participated in a torch run in Austria ahead of the international games. By growing the torch run here in Kentucky, Sgt. Ford hopes to create more special bonds between local law enforcement and the Special Olympics.
“I mean, they’re family at this point,” he said. “If you can’t get behind something like that, I don’t know any kind of organization that you can get behind.”
When Sgt. Ford first became the coordinator for the torch run; he had five different legs run in one day.
The Nicholasville segment was one of 14 legs for this year's run, lasting six days and stretching all across Kentucky.
