The Annual Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run will travel through the streets of Sarasota County on Friday, April 15, 2022. Beginning at 8:00 a.m., members of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and local Special Olympic athletes will start the trek along U.S. 41 from Gulf Gate Pavilion and head north until the torch is passed to the Sarasota Police Department in front of Paradise Plaza at Bee Ridge Road. Citizens should be aware that traffic delays may occur on U.S. 41 between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., so drivers may want to avoid the area or plan accordingly. The goal of the Special Olympics is to help people with different intellectual abilities to participate as productive and respected members of society by offering a fair opportunity to develop and demonstrate skills and talents through sports training and competition, and by increasing the public’s awareness of their capabilities and needs. Each year more than 5,000 law enforcement officers carry the torch on a 1,500-mile relay through more than 60 Florida counties. Anyone interested in contributing to or volunteering with the Special Olympics can visit www.SpecialOlympicsFlorida.org.