Law Enforcement Torch Run [PHOTOS]

This weekend up at the University of Maine is the Special Olympics and each year, nearly 700 members of Maine law enforcement run approximately 900 miles carrying the Flame of Hope.

The state is divided into fifteen sections, or Legs. Each Leg covers a portion of the state and the run concludes on Friday evening of the Special Olympics Summer State Games at Opening Ceremonies. Runners raise funds for Special Olympics Maine in a number of ways: they obtain pledges for the actual run - they hold Tip-A-Cop events at local restaurants - they hold Roof-Sits at local Wal-Marts across the state - they have bake sales, car washes, benefit basketball games, voluntary toll-booths - they sell Torch Run T-shirts, hold Serve and Protect events at local gas stations, sell raffle tickets for Harley motorcycles, sell paper torches at area businesses, and many, many more clever events.

Many took part watching and cheering in the Bar Harbor, Trenton and Ellsworth areas this morning. Thanks to Lori Bartlett for these great photos. You can see that Caitlyn Burchill from WABI-TV 5 also took part!

The Bangor run will be leaving the old drive in (the one that's re-opening in July) at the Bangor - Herrmon line at about 200: PM. They expect that they will arrive at the UMaine Campus at 4:45. Bangor has about 10 runners running through Bangor.

To date, the Law Enforcemement Torch Run has raised over 2 millions dollars, all to benefit Special Olympics!