Athens Flame Lighting

 Information Needed: Athens Flame Lighting

Hello Team,

It is common for significant others to travel for pre and post Final Leg trips (they are expressly prohibited from traveling on the Final Leg event itself). If you expressed interest in attending the Flame Lighting Ceremony AND you intend to bring a significant other with you, they are welcome to attend the Flame Lightning as a VIP Guest. If that is the case, I need you to reply by email ASAP (by no later than Friday, 20 September) with the name of the person who will be traveling with you. 

I apologize for the short notice, but as you know, everything about this planning process is occurring at warp speed!

Please let me know if you have any questions.

2025 Final Leg Schedule

Zappeion Hall - Athens, Greece

 

2025 LETR FINAL LEG SCHEDULE

Hello Team, we are pleased to present to you our schedule for the 2025 LETR Final Leg leading up to the World Winter Games in Turin, Italy. Please note that once this schedule has been chiseled in stone, Scott Whyte will place it into a much more palatable format:

Monday, 24 February 2025: Flame Lighting Rehearsal, Zappeion Hall - Athens, Greece

Tuesday, 25 February 2025: Logistics Team Arrival - Turin, Italy

Tuesday, 25 February 2025: Flame Lighting, Zappeion Hall - Athen's Greece

Tuesday, 25 February 2025: Flame departs Athens to Rome

St. Peter's Square - Vatican City

Wednesday, 26 February 2025: Host Nation Arrival Ceremony / Papal Blessing, St. Peter's Square - Vatican City, Rome

Wednesday, 26 February 2025: Team Leaders Arrival - Turin, Italy

Wednesday, 26 February 2025: Flame departs Rome by train, enroute to Turin, Italy

Wednesday, 26 February 2025: Flame arrival ceremony - Turin, Italy

Thursday, 27 February 2025: Torch Runners and Athletes Arrival - Turin, Italy

Friday, 28 February 2025: Individual Team Meetings; Management / Logistics Team Meeting; Welcome Dinner (mandatory attendance for full team)

Saturday, 1 March 2025: Final Leg Torch Run - Sestriere* & Pragelato*

Sunday, 2 March 2025: Final Leg Torch Run - Bardonecchia* & Turin*

Monday, 3 March 2025: Final Leg Torch Run - Cuneo* & Alessandro*

Tuesday, 4 March 2025: Final Leg Torch Run - Asti* & Vercelli*

Wednesday, 5 March 2025: Final Leg Torch Run - Novara*

Thursday, 6 March 2025: Final Leg Torch Run - Verbania*

Friday, 7 March 2025: Final Leg Torch Run - Biella* & Ceremonial Run from hotel to Opening Ceremony Arena (2.3 km, or about 1.4 miles) * & Opening Ceremony Rehearsal

Pala Alpitour - Turin, Italy

Saturday, 8 March 2025: Opening Ceremony (evening); Polar Plunge*

Sunday, 9 March 2025: Polar Plunge*, Team visit competition venues, Farewell Dinner (mandatory for all team members)

Monday, 10 March 2025: Team members relieved of Final Leg duties and return home, or continue personal travel

Tuesday, 11 March 2025: Management Team departs

You will note a number of asterisks in the schedule. Some of the towns we are scheduled to visit may be adjusted to different days and times due to a number of factors.

There are pieces of the schedule, primarily the Opening Ceremony rehearsal that we may not know until we are in Italy. That is a mandatory team function, and we are at the mercy of the Opening Ceremony producer in terms of when they will want us at the arena.

At the Opening Ceremony rehearsal, we will also announce which Torch Runner and Athlete will represent the Team in delivering the Flame of Hope into the arena. We will discuss in our next whole Team meeting how we select those individuals.

The Polar Plunge is on the schedule for both Saturday and Sunday. While it will likely take place Sunday morning, we do have some flexibility. 

If our Opening Ceremony rehearsal ends up being Friday afternoon/evening, we may push our Ceremonial Run to the arena to Saturday morning. If it is Saturday morning, this is another mandatory event for all team members. In other words, no sleeping in if we end up having an early morning run.

PLEASE DO NOT BOOK YOUR TRAVEL. WE HOPE TO GIVE YOU THE GO AHEAD SOON!

Just a reminder, the Final Leg is a mission, and part of your duties as a law enforcement officer, or Athlete representative of Special Olympics; it is not a vacation. We will work very hard, with very long hours, but we do have time to decompress, enjoy our new friendships, and possibly celebrate with a cold beverage or two (ask any of the Team Leaders or Logistics folks about decompression time in Berlin).

The key to any Final Leg is to remain flexible. I will promise you right now, something will happen - likely last minute - that will impact our schedule and cause a change. Or, we will make you rush to get somewhere, only to end up waiting. No big deal. As a Torch Runner, you have four simple responsibilities: ALWAYS BE ON TIME; BE READY TO RUN; SMILE; TAKE CARE OF THE ATHLETES.

Greg Dawson, our fantastic SOI partner Kami Delameter and I will be travelling to Italy the day after the International Conference to meet with our Italian colleagues in person. During our visit, we will stay in our team hotel, do reconnaissance on all of the running routes, the Polar Plunge location and the Opening Ceremony arena. Additionally, we hope to meet with all of the Italian Torch Runners and Athletes.

Upon return from that trip, we'll schedule a full team Zoom meeting and share with you what to expect.

I can tell you right now, based on the commitment of our Italian colleagues, this is going to be an extraordinary Final Leg, and an event that will likely change your life in many positive ways.

Folks, I can't emphasize this enough; we will likely have many inclines and declines in our runs, some of which are in ski villages. Also, we will likely have a number of runs over cobblestones. Make sure you have supportive running shoes, and possibly consider some type of ankle support. Our goal is that everyone starts and finishes every run!

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to do so by making a comment in the blog. If you have the question in your head, you know your teammates do as well.

Can't wait to see you all soon!

Winter - Turin, Italy

Fundraising Update

 

Flanery Takes Commanding Lead!

Jason Flanery from the great state of Missouri has jumped out to a commanding lead in the fundraising race! Jason has amassed over $4,170 so far! Overall, the team has raised just shy of $9,000. We're off to a good start.

If you have not done so already, and your agency allows you, please create your fundraising page and start raising money. There are three fundraising goals for you to hit in order to earn some awesome memorabilia.

$5,000 raised earns you an official 2025 Final Leg Torch

$7,500 raised earns you the CHOICE of an official 2025 Final Leg Torch, or a ceremonial miner's lamp like the one used to transport the Flame of Hope

$10,000 raised earns you an official 2025 Final Leg Torch AND a miner's lamp  

If you are a Torch Runner, 50% of your fundraising dollars go back to your program and help defer the cost of your travel to and from Italy, and your uniform kit. If you are an athlete, 100% of your fundraising dollars go back to your program.

Good luck!

2025 LETR Final Leg Polar Plunge

 

2025 LETR Polar Plunge 

Fundraising Information

Hello Team, I hope this message finds all of you well. We are extremely excited to announce the fundraising information for the 2025 LETR Final Leg Polar Plunge. It will take place at the spectacular Piscina Stadio Momunentale in Torino (pictured below). In addition to being a beautiful venue, it sports multiple diving/jumping platforms, which could add another level excitement to our plunge. Now, this is being billed as a Polar Plunge, so the Planning Committee is at work on ideas for the "Polar" part of that plunge. Any team member is more than welcome to provide suggestions. 

We have assembled a number of resources to maximize your fundraising efforts, and I know you will find them very helpful.

This fundraiser is 100% voluntary, understanding that some law enforcement agencies do not allow fundraising. If you are not able to fundraise, you still are able to participate in the Polar Plunge.

There are also a number of fundraising incentives to encourage you to raise as much money as you possibly can and receive in return some very special memorabilia.

Our goal is to raise $300,000 USD, but we know we can do much better than that!

In order to access all of the fundraising information, follow this link:  Polar Plunge (letr.org), 

In addition to the individual incentives, the Team that raises the most money will receive a very special reward, which will be announced at our Welcome Dinner when we are all in Italy.

As usual, please don't hesitate to ask any questions, and let the competition begin!

How many miles did you run today?

Thanks!