Marysville police officers, high schoolers team up for Special Olympics Torch Run

SMOKEY POINT — Marysville and Lake Stevens police personnel received help from Marysville-Pilchuck High School cross-country runners in completing their local leg of this year's Special Olympics Torch Run June 3.

The police personnel and high school students completed 33.4 miles in a single day, starting at 11 a.m. and finishing at 5:15 p.m., according to Patricia Duemmell, an evidence technician with the Marysville Police Department and the coordinator for this year's Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Duemmell estimated that 16 runners from Marysville — including the five high schoolers, as well as her daughter and grandson — were joined by six runners from Lake Stevens, with Marysville's Roy Robinson dealership providing an RV for the runners, as they've done in previous years, so that the runners could complete their course in shifts. Although the Arlington Police Department was not able to provide runners of its own, they did provide a police vehicle escort.

Duemmell and Marysville Police Lt. Jeff Goldman were among the local runners who continued on to McChord Air Force Base for the opening ceremonies of this year's Special Olympics June 4. During the final leg of their journey, the flame of hope was lit for fallen Lakewood Police Officer and Marysville resident Timothy Brenton.

"It's always an amazing experience," said Duemmell, who has participated in the Torch Run for the past eight years. "Our goal is to raise awareness for the Special Olympics athletes, who work hard to get where they're going."

Contact Marysville Globe Reporter Kirk Boxleitner at kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com or 360-659-1300 Ext. 5052.

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