ST. JOSEPH — The community is invited to join the Berrien County Area Law Enforcement Torch Run to raise money for Special Olympics Michigan athletes at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 11.

Registration for the race begins at 10 a.m. The race will start at John E.N. Howard Band Shell on the corner of Lake Boulevard. and Port Street 11.

The community run is an opportunity for law enforcement, corrections personnel and community members to run shoulder to shoulder, raising money and awareness for Special Olympics Michigan athletes.

It is one in a series of 41 community runs scheduled in September around the state during Law Enforcement Torch Run Week.

To participate in one of the 41 Community Runs, it is $25 per person, which includes a dri-fit shirt. For more information visit www.somi.org and click the Torch Run link or sign up at www.firstgiving.com/miletr/stjoseph17.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run Travel Teams return this year. The three Travel Teams will spend one week moving around Michigan to support the 41 community runs and their fundraising efforts.

Community Runs are scheduled for Adrian, Allegan, Alma, Alpena, Ann Arbor, Bay City, Big Rapids, Cadillac, Caro, Escanaba, Gladwin, Grand Rapids, Greenville, Hillsdale, Holland, Iron County, Iron Mountain, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Ludington, Manistique, Marquette, Marshall, Menominee, Midland, Mt. Pleasant, Monroe, Munising, Muskegon, Newberry, Oakland County, Petoskey, Port Huron, Roscommon, Rudyard, Sault Ste. Marie, South Haven, St. Joseph, Traverse City, Wakefield and West Branch. All of this will coincide with the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run® Central Route.

Central Route is a 750-mile non-stop relay run from Copper Harbor in the tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Sterling Heights in metro-Detroit. It starts early on Saturday, Sept. 12 and ends on Friday, Sept. 18.

The relay run consists of three teams: Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Michigan Department of Corrections and Michigan State Police (MSP).  Each team provides six runners who each run five miles at a time, averaging eight-minute miles. These dedicated runners have been raising money throughout the year to participate in this prestigious event.

LETR has more than 85,000 law enforcement officers involved worldwide and has raised more than $300 million dollars in the 30 years that it has supported Special Olympics.

About the Special Olympics Michigan:

Special Olympics Michigan Inc.  provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for 23,317 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Athletes build physical fitness, develop self-confidence and prepare for participation in society. SOMI is a non-profit organization supported almost entirely by corporate and individual gifts, without support of state funds. The generosity of Michigan organizations, individuals and statewide businesses enable the program to continue.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics is the largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics in the world. In the past 30 years, the LETR has raised more than $300 million for Special Olympics athletes.

For more information, contact Lt. Melinda Logan at (269) 921-5741 or loganm4@michigan.gov.