New Jersey Special Olympics are this weekend
This weekend, Special Olympics Summer Games will be held at The College of New Jersey. It all begins Friday with the 2017 torch run by New Jersey law enforcement officers.
About 3,000 Jersey law enforcement officers will relay torches to Ewing for the start of the games. Law enforcement Director Robert Belfiore is a retired police chief with The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He says each officer has raised at least $100 or more to participate.
"The goal is to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics athletes.
He says New Jersey law enforcement raises close to $4 million annually for Special Olympics.
"The run starts in 26 different locations throughout the state," he said. Local businesses adopt a cop to sponsor.
Belfiore says they hope the public show up this weekend for the games.
"The police officers love it, the athletes love it, but we need to fill that stand. So we are looking for not only the families of the law enforcement and athletes, but just for people to come down."
According to Heather Anderson, president and CEO of Special Olympics of New Jersey, "summer games is our biggest competition of the year, and is an event that every athlete, coach, parent and volunteer looks forward to."
The games will be held at TCNJ and Schafer Sports Center in Lawrenceville.
New Jersey 101.5's Big Joe Henry will broadcast live from the opening event Friday evening.
Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5.