Lowcountry cops to run 128 miles to Columbia to kick off Special Olympics

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Hundreds of law enforcement officers will be trading in their uniforms Thursday morning for running shorts to kick off the Summer Special Olympics.

The Coast to the Capital Torch Run will start with the lighting of the torch on Sullivan's Island at 11 a.m. Deputy Chief Stan Gragg with the Mount Pleasant Police Department, along with other officers, will then trek 128 miles to the State House in Columbia.

Gragg says it will take about 19.5 hours to complete the journey.

"Carrying a Flame of Hope is about acceptance, inclusion and engagement for all members of our community," said Deputy Chief Gragg. "We support Special Olympics. We've had a 34-year partnership that we started in Wichita, Kansas with six officers running five miles and raising $250 the first year."

Today, the event includes 95,000 officers around the world in 43 different countries, supporting 180 Special Olympics programs.

They're expected to arrive at the State House around 6:30 a.m. Friday. On Friday evening, the run will continue with a 7.5 mile trek from the capital to Fort Jackson where the summer Special Olympic games will then start.

Gragg is raising money for the SC Special Olympics through his participation in the Coast to the Capital Torch Run. To donate, click here.

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