Safety forces carry Special Olympic tradition through Tuscarawas County
NEW PHILADELPHIA – Police Chief Tessa Pohovey, then a captain, was the department’s first officer to carry the Special Olympics torch through the city in 2022.
This year she was joined by another officer, three firefighters, the city health director and Special Olympics athlete Matthew Toole Jr.
Pohovey says carrying the Flame of Hope to lead into this weekend’s Ohio Summer Games is something she wouldn’t miss.
“I was the one that kind of started it here with our agency… [It’s] not even an obligation. I just want to do it. My intention it to run it every year until I retire,” she said. “They support us. We support them. We are going to escort them to the highway tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to that. We’re really proud of them. They always do a great job representing our county.”
The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics started in 1981 but has only been going through Tuscarawas County for the past few years. One of the Torch Run’s organizers Nathan Samples says the Tuscarawas County Rockets Special Olympics team has been a great addition to the route.
“Bring it down to Stark and Tusc county, I was a little weary on it, but the Tusc County Rockets have been 100 percent behind the officers, the athletes, everybody. It’s been a great experience for everybody,” he said.
Police Departments and first responders in Strasburg, Dover, New Philadelphia and Sugarcreek carried the Flame of Hope through the county Thursday. The Summer Games start Friday in Columbus with more than 30 local athletes participating.
https://www.wjer.com/news/special-olympics-torch-run-ins-thursday-summer-games-start-friday/