The rain stayed away and the weather warmed up, just as Langley RCMP officers and several Special Olympic athletes ran the 22nd annual Law Enforcement Torch Run from the local detachment on Tuesday.
Around 20 Langley Mounties and several Special Olympics athletes were escorted by a full fleet of Vancouver Police motorcycle officers for the Langley leg of the run to Douglas Park.
At the park, a slo-pitch game was held with SO athletes, students and police officers participating.
Prior to the run, a fundraising barbecue was held at the detachment where dozens of police officers donated money to the cause.
Special Olympic spokesperson Megan Gritani-Livingston said Langley has been such a huge supporter of the athletes over the years and this year is extra important.
The 2013 Special Olympics BC Summer Games are being held in Langley. More than 1,100 athletes will take part in 11 sporting events here next summer, between July 11 to 14.
In the 22 years the torch run has taken place, law enforcement personnel in this province have raised $3.4 million for Special Olympics.
Langley Special Olympian Chris Lawrie was there to light the torch and hold it for the first bit of the run.
An avid baseball player, he said his SO team just won a tournament on the weekend.
Special Olympian Pat Johnson is running every leg of the run, which had just come from Chilliwack and through Abbotsford before touching down in Langley.
The run was then off to Surrey and White Rock.
Langley RCMP Const. Keith Rogers is participating in his first torch run.
“They came to talk to us about it and it’s for a great cause, so I wanted