At the opening ceremonies of the annual Missouri Special Olympics Wednesday at Missouri State University in Springfield, Houston Police Chief Jim McNiell was involved in handling of the torch during the flame-lighting ceremony.
McNiell is a long-time supporter of Special Olympics and is the fundraising coordinator for Missouri Special Olympics Region 7.
“It’s indeed an honor to have been asked to participate,” McNiell said.
Special Olympics Missouri has been the charity of choice of state law enforcement agencies for 40 years, and last year more than $1 million was raised to help the state’s 15,000 gifted athletes.
An annual fundraiser and a technique used in each of Missouri’s 10 regions to promote awareness of the annual state games is the conducting of torch runs within each territory in the days just before the opening ceremonies. Two torch runs took place Tuesday in Region 7, one on U.S. 63 from the South Central Corrections Center in Licking to Houston, and another from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop G headquarters in Willow Springs to the Department of Conservation office in West Plains.
As runners took turns carrying the torch through Texas County, McNiell drove an escort vehicle in front while a state patrol car backed them up.
McNiell is spearheading a T-shirt sales campaign as well, and hopes to reach a goal of selling 1,000. Shirts are available for $10 apiece at the Houston City Hall.
In 2009, McNiell received the John Michael Letz Award for his efforts to raise money and awareness for the athletes of Special Olympics while he was a lieutenantwith the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He served as the Torch Run coordinator during his eight years of involvement and planned his retirement around the event to be involved one last year.
This year’s Special Olympics Missouri Games are Thursday and Friday at MSU, with competition beginning both days at 7:15 a.m.
Thursday competition should end at about 4 p.m., with many other activities to follow. Friday events are scheduled to conclude at about 1 p.m.