The Special Olympics Flame of Hope was on its way to Stevens Stadium, at Santa Clara University, where a packed Opening Ceremony—featuring former 49ers legend Bryant Young, Las Vegas showman Frankie Moreno and Lacey Schwimmer of Dancing with the Stars—awaited.
But first, it had to make it up the hill from Santa Cruz to Scotts Valley.
Employees of the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office began the trek northward from 701 Ocean St. in Santa Cruz on June 22, under overcast skies. The prosecutorial staff handed off the flame part-way to the County Probation Department.
The torch arrived at the Scotts Valley Hilton in the hands of Julio Juarez, 44, who was dripping with sweat.
“We’ve done this for several years now,” he said. “It’s awesome.”
The weather was perfect, because the cloudy weather was preferable to sunny conditions, he commented. Plus, he added, it was a great way to collaborate with the people outside of the legal system on a worthwhile fundraiser.
A gaggle of people were there to welcome the justice system professionals, among them Scotts Valley Councilmember Donna Lind, a former Scotts Valley Police Department cop. She shared about how Harry Bidleman was the first officer responsible for the local partnership with the Special Olympics, back when he was a sergeant.
“It started with the torch run,” she said, adding when John Hohmann took over, he decided to expand the local department’s contributions to the cause.
That included the high-octane “Police in Pursuit” event in Watsonville, which Lind was always a big fan of.
“It’s really exciting,” she said. “Anything goes. So, just imagine… All the proceeds from all these things go toward the Special Olympics.”
Beside her stood Santa Cruz resident Shaun Saffen, 38, a long-time Special Olympian.
“I’ve been in Special Olympics for 22 years,” he said.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when community members wave at you as you run past with the torch, he told the Press Banner.
His roommate, Matthew Freeman, 64, has been in the program for even longer—50 years. He remembered flying down to Southern California for an earlier Special Olympics.
“We stayed at the UCLA dorms,” he said. “We met a lot of actors and actresses.”
Freeman said he even got to meet Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of Special Olympics.
“I met Eric Estrada from ‘CHiPs,’” said Saffen, referring to the decades-old TV show. “It’s about the California Highway Patrol.”
Saffen added he was pretty pumped that the Summer Games was about to start the following day in Silicon Valley.
Freeman said one of the best parts of Special Olympics is that people of all ability levels can take part in one way or another—even able-bodied folks.
“Volunteer for Special Olympics,” he said. “Get involved.”
Freeman is behind the scenes now—and loves it.
“I’m the coach for basketball,” he said. “I tell them what to do and how to do it.”
Hohmann congratulated the out-of-breath runners for their sweat equity and highlighted Freeman’s contributions.
“I think you’ve paid your dues,” he said.
Police Chief Steve Walpole Jr. attended this event with his father Steve and his son Steve. He told the crowd he appreciated how many people from the City of Scotts Valley got involved this year.
That included Joanna Haros, a 37-year-old Scotts Valley resident who works in the Building Department. She got roped into the fundraiser by Hohmann in the halls of the City building, which is located right above the police station.
And now, here she was, accepting the torch to start the Scotts Valley leg of the journey.
“I’m excited,” she said. “I think it’s important.”
Hohmann reminded the runners not to get ahead of the torch and to be safe.
Minutes later, the group—including Public Works Director Chris Lamm and Allison Pfefferkorn, a Parks and Rec worker, and Nick Stoeberl, from SVPD—set out down the hill to Mount Hermon Road.
After taking a right on Scotts Valley Drive, they passed cheering coworkers, including City Manager Mali LaGoe, and, later, waving Boys and Girls Club members.
Once they made it to the fire department along Glenwood Drive, they could finally catch their breath.
“Good job,” said Councilmember Randy Johnson.
While maintaining a respectable pace along the route, Haros had been thinking about why she was relishing this moment so much.
“I love running,” she said. “I love the community, and I love connecting them.”
