TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The 2025 Special Olympics Summer Games in Terre Haute begin in one week and to kick off the events, local law enforcement and officials put their running shoes on.
Officers from all branches come together, each year, to run alongside Special Olympics Indiana Athletes, signifying the beginning of the 2025 Special Olympics Summer Games.
Quentin Seger is an officer at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. He said community is the most important aspect of this event.
“Coming together as a community is always important”, Seger said. “I’m a big believer in strength in numbers, so if a community can come together and show support for an organization, I think it’s a huge help for a community to build a stronger bond and a relationship as a whole.”
Participants ran three miles through downtown Terre Haute and Indiana State’s campus, alongside Special Olympics athlete Shelby Baker, who was carrying the torch to start the race and cross the finish line.
Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun said this run is just the start of local law enforcement’s participation in the Special Olympics Summer Games.
“A lot of the local law enforcement agencies are actively involved, and I say actively because they don’t just sponsor”, Sakbun said. “They do the high five line, they help compete in some of the events, they do the memorial run which means just so much to the athletes and the organization.”
The Special Olympics Summer Games will begin in Terre Haute on June 6th, bringing together thousands of athletes, partners, and volunteers.
Sakbun said the numbers do more than just help Terre Haute.
“Anytime you bring over 2,500 athletes, as well as their families, to the community that’s obviously a huge boost”, Sakbun said. “I think what it also does, a unique event like this, is it inspires folks. The challenges that they go through to come through all of that and then champion at the end of it, honestly means a lot.”
The Special Olympics Summer Games will take place from June 6th through the 8th, on the campuses of Indiana State and Rose-Hulman.
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