Thank you & congratulations!
We are honored to receive the Titanium Level Award of Excellence from the LETR International Executive Council, in addition to being second in the Highest Net Fundraising Program Award in 2020!

Thank you to everyone who works so hard to support Special Olympics Minnesota through our LETR events year after year. Your efforts are truly appreciated!
Athlete Highlight: Abby Pearson
Hi, I'm Abby! I'm a Special Olympics athlete on the Western Wings. I first got involved with the Law Enforcement Torch Run in 2010 when I signed up to help out at the Eden Prairie Polar Plunge. And it's safe to say, I have been HOOKED ever since!

That first Plunge experience was SO exciting! Two other athletes from my team were there too, Abby and Kyle.
There was so much excitement and so many fun people that it got the best of us. Abby, Kyle and I decided at the last minute that we wanted to take the Plunge too! We hadn't collected any donations and didn't have clothes with us, but we told our moms the new plan and they said "Okay!" We figured out those little details and before we knew it, we were Plunging for the very first time!

That was 12 years ago and our team is still Plunging together alongside law enforcement who continue to show up and support us year after year!
The Polar Plunge is the only LETR event I participate in every year. I've been to a Tip-a-Cop once or twice, but it turns out that collecting donations and jumping in freezing water is my thing. My friends call me the “Queen of the Plunge” because I love it so much. I am thankful that law enforcement is there year after year to help guide me to a warm tent, answer my questions, smile when I'm afraid at the last minute and even jump in the water with me!
One year Ian Leonard couldn't be there to jump in with my team so he asked his friend and local law enforcement to take his place. She had just gotten married and jumped in her wedding dress. When she found out I was looking for someone to jump with us, she put her wet wedding dress back on and took my hand and jumped in AGAIN! I will never forget that special memory. And that's just one of the many acts of kindness and dedication I've seen in the last 12 years Plunging with law enforcement.

Thank you for all you do for Special Olympics athletes like me!

- Abby
Event Spotlight: Polar Plunge

The 2022 Polar Plunge season is upon us! The Plunge is an incredible event that brings together so many of our law enforcement partners, Special Olympics Minnesota athletes and community members.

We've started the season off strong at several locations, but it's not too late to join us! Register your team below!
LETR Highlight: Chad Meemken
My name is Chad Meemken and I’m with Stearns County Sheriff’s Office. My first exposure to LETR and SOMN was attending summer games as a kid through a summer program at my school. What started as a fun field trip, opened my eyes and heart to wanting to become involved with LETR. I started working in Law Enforcement at the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office in 2006 and at the time, the Final Leg in our area was no longer in existence.  
I first got involved with LETR in late 2014 when I was elected President of Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police Granite Lodge 17. With that position came the role of chairperson of the St. Cloud area Polar Plunge. I had no idea what I was about to become involved with however I wouldn’t have changed it for anything. While I’ve never taken the plunge, every year since starting I have been there to help guide the planning, set-up, coordinating and staffing the Plunge and the clean-up.
Since 2014, I have had the opportunity to participate in Tip-A-Cops, the Polar Plunge, Final Leg and a few International Conferences.

In 2018, with the support of the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office and the push of our SOMN representative, we were able to bring the St. Cloud Leg of the Final Leg back to the area.
My wife tells me often that I need the Law Enforcement Torch Run to help fill my cup and bring positivity and joy to my life, given that those things aren’t always easy to see in the law enforcement profession. All these years I thought it was just another way to simply give back and teach my children the importance of inclusion and service to others. LETR has become a family activity for my wife Jen and daughters Amelia and Stella as well as our neighborhood. In 2020, with a virtual only option for the Final Leg, we pulled together our neighborhood and held our own event with the city of Albany.  

I stay involved to help show others what it can bring to their lives and their communities. I know that the friendships, connections and experiences I have gained through LETR will last for many years to come. When you connect with others who share the common goals of being part of LETR, the bond is instant. The flame of hope will continue to burn brightly, serving as a constant reminder of our commitment to the athletes, our communities, LETR and Special Olympics Minnesota.  

- Chad
Sheriff's Office Guardian of the Flame Award
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office was recently presented with the MN LETR Guardian of the Flame – Sheriff’s Office Award. Accepting the award was Sheriff Steve Soyka and Deputy Chad Meemken. Stearns County has been a part of the Special Olympics movement for the past 20 years. They lead our St. Cloud Polar Plunge, which has raised over $940,000 since 2005, and they have also been involved in Tip-a-Cop events and the Torch Run Final Leg.
Deputies from Stearns County are present at several Special Olympics Minnesota area competitions and state competitions where they hand out medals and volunteer where needed. Their ongoing engagement with local delegations further solidifies the bond between law enforcement and Special Olympics Minnesota athletes. We appreciate the energy behind this agency as Sheriff Steve Soyka has shown an immense amount of support. In addition, Chad Meemken, their agency liaison, is never fully satisfied and is always looking to push his peers and himself to do more and raise more money.

Stearns County has recommitted to Special Olympics Minnesota through their expanded efforts and fundraising events in the past several years. Chad continues to recruit area agencies on an ongoing basis, helping Minnesota LETR get closer to its goal of having liaisons in every agency within the state.

Congratulations the whole crew at the Stearns County Sheriff's Office!
Community Engagement: Host a Tip-A-Cop

A Tip-A-Cop event was held recently in Rochester and raised over $3,000! Thank you to Glynner’s Pub, Sheriff Kevin Torgerson, Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Rochester Police Department and the Rochester Flyers Special Olympics delegation. 

At Tip-A-Cops, officers serve as celebrity servers at restaurants and donate all the tips they receive to Special Olympics Minnesota. Tip-A-Cop fundraisers are a fun and easy way for officers to raise money and interact with their communities while supporting local businesses.

"Tip-A-Cop events provide agencies with a uniquely wonderful opportunity to engage with the citizens and businesses located within their community, while partnering with Special Olympics Minnesota to simultaneously support their programming and build relationships with athletes! They're easy to plan and execute, and the memories will stick with you for years to come!"

Miranda Soldow, Richfield Police Department Investigator
Help spread the word!

We’re constantly updating our database so we can stay connected with all law enforcement partners. Our goal is to have a law enforcement representative at every agency within the state. This person would help spread information through our LETR newsletters and other emails. Please follow up with Kean Corkery at kean.corkery@somn.org to confirm that your agency has a liaison and help us spread the word in your area.
Check out our LETR website! We have information on all our LETR events, new recruitment presentations and handouts, information about open positions on our Executive Council and much more.

To get further involved with the Law Enforcement Torch Run, visit our website or contact Kean Corkery at kean.corkery@somn.org.
Thank you for your commitment and support!