VERNON, New Jersey ??” Mountain Creek is delighted to announce that it has once again partnered with the Vernon Township Police Department to serve as the starting point for the statewide 23nd Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit the Special Olympics of New Jersey. This year about a dozen members of the department will participate in the run along with several local Special Olympic athletes, and hope to contribute a few thousand dollars to the fundraising efforts. If you would like to donate, please call Patrolman Jason Haw at the Vernon PD at 973-827-6155. The run begins at 6:00am at the Mountain Creek parking lot on Friday morning, June 2, 2006 and the Vernon P.D will carry the torch down Route 94 South to the town line where they will hand it off to next leg of officers who will continue on Route 23 toward Trenton.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run is the Special Olympics’ largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle, raising more than $21 million for Special Olympics Programs around the world in 2005. More than 85,000 law enforcement officers carried the Flame of Hope across 35 nations, and thousands more supported the runners’ efforts through “Adopt-A-Cop” runner sponsorships, corporate sponsorships and Torch Run T-shirts (more than 400,000 sold) and other merchandise sales. The New Jersey Law Enforcement Officers have been recognized as Number One in fundraising dollars for the fourth consecutive year and have been named the highest grossing fundraising program of its kind in the world.

The Torch Run consists of a series of relays run by law enforcement officers and athletes who carry the “Flame of Hope” to the Opening Ceremonies of local, regional, national or international Special Olympic Games. The run serves to highlight the voice of individuals with mental handicaps while acknowledging the contribution the law enforcement community makes to this worthwhile cause.