Who:
Participating Agencies:

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
St. Petersburg Police Department
Pinellas Park Police Department
Largo Police Department
Kenneth City Police Department
Clearwater Police Department
Tarpon Springs Police Department
Belleair Police Department
Florida Highway Patrol

Special Olympics of Pinellas County, Region 6

Participating Schools:
New Heights Elementary School
Nina Harris Exceptional Center
Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School
Paul B. Stephens Exceptional School

What: 
On Wednesday, May 1, 2019, law enforcement agencies from all over Pinellas County will run the Torch for Special Olympics to bring attention to the many sports programs available to the intellectually disabled.  The Torch Run is an annual event that has been held in Pinellas County for over 25 years.

Where: 
The Torch Run starts at the St. Petersburg Police Department located at 1300 1^st Avenue North in St. Petersburg and ends at Paul B. Stephens School located at 2935 CR 193 in Clearwater.  The Torch Run route is listed below.

When: 
The Pinellas Torch Run is Wednesday, May 1, 2019, at 8:15 a.m. beginning at the St. Petersburg Police Department. The relay times are listed on the route below.

How/Why:
On Wednesday, May 1^st , law enforcement agencies from all over Pinellas County will run the Torch for Special Olympics to bring attention to the many sports programs available to the intellectually disabled.  The Torch Run is an annual event that has been held in Pinellas County for over 25 years.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run will start at the St. Petersburg Police Department at 8:15 a.m. The Special Olympics Torch will be passed to various Pinellas law enforcement agencies along the way as runners carry the torch from St. Petersburg to Clearwater. Runners will carry the torch to the final destination at Paul B. Stephens Exceptional School where they will be greeted with a reception by students.  Special Olympics athletes will also greet the runners along the run route at the following staging locations; New Heights Elementary School, Nina Harris Exceptional School, Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School and Paul B. Stephens Exceptional School.

The media is encouraged to attend and meet runners at any one of the following staging locations. To find out where the runners are on the course after the start, please contact the Sheriff's Public Information Office at 727-582-6221 or e-mail wgross@pcsonet.com .

The Torch Run route and departure times are listed below. If the event is canceled due to inclement/dangerous weather, there is no rain day scheduled.

Relay times and locations:

Start:         8:15 a.m.  -   St. Petersburg Police Department
Route:       (4.2 miles) 1st Ave. N, to US Hwy. 19, to 38th Ave. N. and then a right to the two front bus circles of New Heights Elementary.

Start:         9:10 a.m.  -  New Heights Elementary School
Route:       (4 miles) US Hwy. 19, to 70th Ave. N., then west to Nina Harris reception.

Start:         10:15 a.m.  -  Nina Harris Exceptional School
Route:       (3.5 miles) 70th Ave. N. to 66th Street, then north to 118th Ave., then east to Morgan Fitzgerald student reception.

Start:          10:55 a.m.  -  Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School
Route:        (3.2 miles) 118th Ave. to 62nd Street, then over to 126th Ave., then under US 19 to the service road, east on Ulmerton Rd., to 49th Street and 145th Ave., PCSO's Technical Services Bldg.

Start:          11:45 a.m.  -  PCSO Technical Services Bldg.
Route:        (4.5 miles) North on 49th Street, over Bayside Bridge to Del Oro Park on McMullen Booth Road.

Start:         12:45 p.m. -  Del Oro Park
Route:       (2.2 miles) North on McMullen Booth, then west on Sunset Pt.to Paul B. Stephens School, and the finish.

Finish:        Around 1:15-1:30 p.m., Torch arrival/student reception at Paul B.   Stephens. 

During the run, traffic may be affected for a brief period of time while law enforcement blocks roadways and stops traffic at various intersections.

For more information on the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics please visit: https://specialolympicsflorida.org/