The Special Olympics ‘Torch of Hope’ arrived in Burbank Wednesday afternoon after it was handed off from LAPD Officers at Clybourn and Riverside Drive. The torch was handed off from LAPD Valley Traffic Detective and Burbank resident William Bustos.
The special torch made its way through Southern California this whole week in preparation for the Special Olympics that start June 10 and 11 at Cal State Long Beach.
This is the 30th year the torch has had a Law Enforcement escort. The torch is always handled by a sworn law enforcement officer and can be assisted by non-sworn runners.
The torch gets refilled or relighted if necessary by Special Olympic escorts. The escort that assisted Burbank was a bittersweet moment for Gerri Davis McCorkle, a former Burbank Cadet back during 1980’s. McCorkle, who has stayed in Law Enforcement rising to the rank of Sergent with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, just recently retired along with her husband, LASO Commander Mark McCorkle. They both continue to serve the Special Olympics in many ways.
The torch run was conducted by over a dozen Burbank Officers, escorted by motorcycle officers and the department’s Bearcat armored vehicle.
They proceeded up Olive Avenue to the Police Station, posed for pictures and then ran the torch up to Glenoaks Blvd., meeting with their Glendale counterparts and handed off the torch at Glenoaks Blvd. and Alameda.
The Special Olympics are free to the public and all the entrants would love the community’s support at the games.
