MTA Police, Special Olympians Make Torch Run

The Maryland Transit Administration police hosted its first Special Olympics Torch Run Tuesday.

The MTA leg of the torch run began at War Memorial Plaza in front of Baltimore's City Hall, and then picked up again at the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Station, where police and athletes ran the lit torch 1.5 miles to the MTA Police Northwestern District station at Mt. Hope Drive in the Seton Business Park.

For the Tuesday run, MTA police raised more than $2,500 to benefit Special Olympics, according to a news release from the MTA.

The final leg of the torch run for the games this weekend moves into Towson on Friday, said John Wesley, MTA spokesman.

Nationally, the torch runs raise about $250,000 each year for Special Olympics, and have been going on for more than 25 years, the release states.

Another run, titled The Law Enforcement Torch Run, is set for Wednesday in Towson, according to a news release from Baltimore County.

"Baltimore County Police officers, local citizens and Special Olympics athletes will participate in the three-mile Law Enforcement Torch Run on June 8 to raise money for the Special Olympics of Maryland," it states.

Participants will meet at 10 a.m. at the Shoppers Food parking lot at Joppa Road and Goucher Boulevard, and will take a bus to the start at Harford Hills Elementary School, 8902 Old Harford Road.

The run will end with a picnic lunch at the Public Safety Building, 700 E. Joppa Road.

Commemorative Torch Run T-shirts and hats are available for $10 each by contacting Lt. Wes Fischer at 443-415-9122.