Already wearing two, swimmer Carter Hammer gets ready to win a third gold medal at the 2017 Special Olympics in Anchorage. A running fundraiser is scheduled for May 19 to help him and other participants travel to this year's competition in June.
A five-kilometer run will be held later next month to benefit participants in this year's Special Olympics.
Special Olympics Alaska is a state chapter of the wider program that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympian sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Its calendar centers around two main tournaments, the Winter Olympics in March and the Summer games in June. The organization also holds a fall tournament in September and a statewide bowling tournament in November.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is the largest annual fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for the Special Olympics program. Last year more than 85,000 law enforcement officers carried the Flame of Hope across 35 nations, raising $50 million for the games.
This year on May 19 Wrangell will for the first time join 14 other Alaskan communities in the run, with more than 1,000 participants anticipated statewide. This includes hundreds of law enforcement personnel, and the Torch Run will be Alaska's largest simultaneous multi-community running event for 2018.
Preparing for the Summer Games that start June 8, Wrangell student Carter Hammer will be taking pledges to compete in the run. Funds raised from the event will help cover travel costs to and from Anchorage. The 2018 Games will be his second statewide competition after taking three gold medals for swimming during last year's tournament.
"We're hoping that more will participate," hoped Clay Hammer, Carter's father. He and wife Holly have collaborated with other community members to put on next month's Torch Run, which will be held at the Muskeg Meadows Golf Course.
Carter will not be alone in his run, with Alaska Wildlife Trooper Dave Bozman and James Nelson with the Forest Service joining in. Minding the fires at the finish line, Chief Doug McCloskey of the Wrangell Police Department will be fixing burgers for lunch afterward.
Hammer acknowledged the help of other community members, such as speech pathologist Kristen DeBord, Dee Dee Sprehe at the Fire Department, Cedora Ham at Wells Fargo and Rosemary Ruoff. The Hammers have also been assisted by Sarah Arts, with the Special Olympics office in Anchorage.
"She's been guiding us through this process," Holly Hammer explained.
The run itself will involve three laps around the golf course's hilly track. Additional runners are always welcome, Hammer explained, and are free to run fewer or more laps as they wish.
"Go your own distance," he said.
Ahead of June's games, Carter has been practicing his primary sport, swimming. While he is so far set to represent Wrangell on his own, Holly explained her son has been invited to join Ketchikan's team as their fourth on the freestyle relay.
Carter may branch out into other sports as well, practicing bowling at the Elks. "He's also been getting a little golf time in, too," Hammer added.
For more information on the program and upcoming run, a table has been set up at the fire hall with pledge forms and other materials. A Facebook page has also been put up by supporters, and additional information on the wider program is online at http://www.specialolympicsalaska.org.
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