Governor to Light the Flame of Hope for Special Olympics Georgia at State Capitol Press Conference

Governor Sonny Perdue will help light the “flame of hope” for Special Olympics Georgia athletes at 9 a.m. Friday on the front steps of the state capitol on the Washington Street side.

The torch has been passed across the state by law enforcement officers for the last few weeks and will stop at State Summer Games Opening Ceremony at Emory University Friday evening at 7:30.

The torch passing is part of a press conference to announce the 2008 Final Leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run and to accept a check from the Torch Run presenting sponsor, Publix Supermarkets.

Once the Governor and a Special Olympics Georgia athlete light the torch, they will pass it off to members of the 2008 Torch Run. The officers (represented by Atlanta Police Department, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and other agencies across the state) will take the torch and begin their final leg of the run through downtown Atlanta and make their way onto Emory’s campus.

Expected to speak at the press conference are: Governor Perdue, Marietta Police Deputy Chief Billy Grogan Law Enforcement Torch Run State Director, Brenda Reid, Vice President of Community Relations of Publix Supermarkets and a Special Olympics Georgia athlete.

The torch represents the “flame of hope” that law enforcement officers pass on to athletes before they begin competition at State Summer Games. This weekend at the games, nearly 2,000 athletes will compete in sports such as gymnastics, athletics, volleyball, soccer, tennis and others at Emory.