NL_061319

newlenoxpatriot.com news
the new lenox patriot | June 13, 2019 | 3
Special Olympics Torch Run
creates smiles for everyone
Sean Hastings, Editor
Route 30 in New Lenox
was briefly shut down
the afternoon of June 4 as
Torch Run volunteers from
the New Lenox Police Department
and New Lenox
Village Hall ran from
Providence Catholic High
School to the New Lenox
Commons.
The purpose of the Torch
Run is to raise money and
awareness, and help kick
off the Special Olympics
Summer Games, which
were held in Bloomington
June 7-9.
New Lenox’s runners
“took the torch” from the
Joliet volunteers at Providence
and ran to the Commons,
where the closing
ceremonies were held and
Special Olympic athletes
and other Village officials
waited.
Officer Paul Simon was
the organizer for the New
Lenox leg of the run. The
Torch Run took place all
over Illinois and included
more than 3,000 officers
who covered approximately
1,500 total miles.
“It’s an honor, because
the people here are residents,”
Simon said. “Especially
for our athletes —
this is for them. We get to
do things and give back to
the community.”
Simon said all the volunteers
came to him before he
was able to reach out.
Running for New Lenox
was Officer Ryan Bartels,
Officer Andrew Johnston,
Village employee Sonia
Little, Officer Kristine Kioltyka,
Evidence Custodian
Chris Hedges and Officer
Luke Sikora.
Little has been taking part
Special Olympics athlete Rikki Kirsch gives her speech
at the New Lenox Village Commons at the closing
ceremonies for the Torch Run. Mayor Tim Baldermann
and Lockport Officer Debbie Schenk join her for her
speech. Sean Hastings/22nd Century Media
in the event for five years.
“I do it because I think
that Special Olympics is
important — to participate
and to donate and give back
to them,” she said. “I run
everyday. At first, I thought
it was just people in law
enforcement. But they’ve
welcomed me.”
Kioltyka has been an officer
for two years, spending
most of her time on night
shifts, so she has been unable
to participate until this
year. She hopes to be able to
do it again, she said.
“It means a lot to us,”
she said. “Every year, law
enforcement always gets
together to help with Special
Olympics and get community
involvement. That’s
what we’re all about.”
Bartels has been doing it
for six years. He previously
organized it for his old department
and this is his first
year participating in it.
“They’re better athletes
than we are,” he said.
“They’re training more
than we are. It’s nice to give
back.”
One of those athletes
is Rikki Kirsch, who was
at the closing ceremonies
in the Commons to give
a speech. It was her 26th
speech in the last two years.
She spent the day with
her mother, Chris as well.
Rikki is going to state for
her relay team in track and
field. Although she likes
track and field, her favorite
is equestrian because she
gets to ride horses.
“I love them,” Rikki said
excitedly.
She participates in nine
sports.
At the Summer Games,
all of the lights go out in
the stadium and the torches
from across the state are
walked in lit.
“To know there is a group
of individuals that give
so much and don’t ask for
anything in return [means a
lot],” Chris said.
“As a parent it’s nice to
see that interaction and it’s
nice to see that inclusive environment
that we are pushing
toward.”
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