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Special Olympics Torch Run is Thursday, Summer Games start Friday

| June 11, 2025

The Special Olympics Ohio Law Enforcement Torch Run will be making its way through Tuscarawas County Thursday.

The Flame of Hope is scheduled to arrive on the North Strasburg border around 9:15 a.m. Local law enforcement officials and firefighters will carry the torch through Strasburg, Dover, New Philadelphia and Sugarcreek, wrapping up at the World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock between noon and 1 p.m.

The Ohio Special Olympic Summer Games start Friday.  There will be a sendoff for the athletes Friday morning in New Philadelphia starting around 8:30 a.m.

More details from Tuscarawas County Special Olympics Coordinator Richelle Lefler:

Our teams are preparing for a trip to The Ohio State University June 13-15. This is the biggest event offered by Special Olympics Ohio and is known as the Summer Games. It brings together over 3,000 athletes from across the state to compete in 7 sports.

We will be taking athletes in four of those – Athletics (Track & Field), Bocce, Bowling, and Powerlifting. We will be taking over 70 athletes, coaches, chaperones, and unified partners as part of our delegation. Our youngest competitor is 11 years old, and our oldest is 76. We have representation from the very southern part of Tuscarawas County (Newcomerstown/Kimbolton) all the way to the most northern part (Bolivar) and everywhere in between (Port Washington, New Philadelphia, Dover, Sugarcreek, Uhrichsville, Dennison, Strasburg, etc.).  All athletes and unified partners qualified at a local or regional tournament for this prestigious event.  We have been working toward this goal since March, and we are so excited to see our hard work come to fruition.

Two of our athletes will be serving in larger roles for the Opening Ceremonies, which will take place at 7 p.m. at Jesse Owens Stadium.  Jordan Miller has been selected to lead all athletes in reciting the Athletic Oath. Austin McGinnis is 1 of 4 athletes selected from throughout the state (after a nomination and voting process) to carry the Torch into the stadium alongside law enforcement representatives from Columbus and surrounding areas. We are very excited for these two incredible athletes.

Our coaches/volunteers are:

Athletics (Track & Field) – Matthew Toole, Sr., Steve Meredith, Lois Wright, Jamie Randolph, Travis Randolph, Heidi Miller, Matthew Miller, Sarah McVey

Bocce – Brad and Deb Fuller, Julie Erwin, Lacie and Todd Oney, Mark and Mary Rothel, Valerie Lefler, Chandra Miller

Bowling – Denise and Bailey McGinnis, Peggy Baker, Janel Travis, Coney and Dana DiGenova

Powerlifting – Bob and Tracey Ward, Jack Burnham, Jake Rigg, Justin Albright, Ashli Yenni

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