Guardian’s Guidebook
2017 LETR Overview & Policies
LETR Mission:
The mission of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Is to raise awareness & funds for Special Olympics Arizona.
LETR Vision:
The vision of the Law Enforcement Torch Run “LETR” is to provide ongoing and year-round guidance and support for Special Olympics throughout Arizona.
LETR History:
The Torch Run program began in 1981, when Wichita, Kansas Chief of Police Richard LaMunyon saw an urgent need to raise funds for and increase awareness of Special Olympics. The idea was simple: provide local law enforcement with opportunities to volunteer with Special Olympics in communities where the officers lived and worked.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is a series of intra-state/intra-nation runs that take place in the spring and summer in the United States and around the world. Throughout the course of the Torch Run, participants collect contributions from individuals and businesses, asking to help raise support for incredible Special Olympics athletes. The Torch Run is much more than just a run; it is a year-round campaign to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics Arizona. The Law Enforcement Torch Run puts on statewide events such as: tip-a-cops, over the edge, fry’s fuel of dreams, golf tournaments, and polar plunges just to name a few! 100% of all money raised for the Law Enforcement Torch Run goes directly to support Special Olympics athletes in Arizona and their supporting programs. 91.5% of all money that is given to Special Olympics Arizona goes directly to support Special Olympics programs and athletes.
Special Olympics Mission:
The mission of Special Olympics Arizona is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
Special Olympics Vision:
Special Olympics Arizona's vision is to empower the over 180,000 Arizonans with intellectual disabilities to be healthy, productive, and respected members of society through SOAZ's year-round sports training, competitions and support programs.
Executive Committee & State Council
The Executive Committee and State Council is the governing body of LETR, responsible for overseeing the effective management and direction of the program. It has and exercises the powers to govern the Law Enforcement Torch Run program on behalf of Special Olympics Arizona. The Executive Committee and State Council has ultimate responsibility to determine policies deemed necessary for the administration and development of LETR in accordance with its stated Mission and purposes, and consistent with the policies of Special Olympics Arizona.
The Executive Committee:
Is a committee consisting of Chiefs, Sheriff’s, Directors, and Agency Heads who meet quarterly to discuss all LETR Statewide all activities, goals, finances, and other related priorities as needed in supporting the ongoing mission of LETR. The Executive Committee functions a little differently than the State Council in that they serve as more of an advisory role and can determine how to best support various LETR efforts at an executive level through their departments and state. There is a Chair of the Executive Committee who serves for one year and has a Vice-Chair who will serve the following year. There is a Chair and Vice-Chair at all times. The immediate past chair of the Executive Committee shall serve as an advisor to the current Chair as needed.
Past Chair | Chief Alan Rodbell, Scottsdale PD
Current Chair | Director Charles Ryan, AZ Department of Corrections
Vice Chair | Assistant Chief Anthony Lythgoe, Mesa PD
The Southern Arizona Executive Committee:
Is a committee structured identically to the Executive Committee description above, but is focused specifically on LETR efforts in the southern part of Arizona.
Current Chair | Chief Daniel Sharp, Oro Valley PD
Vice Chair | Sheriff Mark Napier, Pima County Sheriff’s Office
The State Council:
Is a committee consisting of law enforcement personnel at any level who meet every other month to discuss all LETR Statewide all activities, goals, finances, and other related priorities as needed in supporting the ongoing mission of LETR. There is a Chair of the State Council who serves for three years and has an Assistant State Director(s) who are his/her immediate advisors. There is a State Director and Assistant State Director(s) at all times. The immediate past State Director shall serve as an advisor to the current State Director as needed.
Past State Director | Kevin Albert, Paradise Valley PD
Current State Director | Lt. David Ramer, Chandler PD
Assistant State Director | Assistant Chief Scott Popp, Scottsdale PD
Assistant State Director | Eric Abt, Department of Corrections
Signature Events
A common misconception is that the Law Enforcement Torch Run is a one-time a year event, rather, the Torch Run is a year-round campaign in raising funds and awareness on behalf of Special Olympics!
Before Participating/Hosting an Event:
1. Please email: to notify Special Olympics about your upcoming event. You can fill out the fundraising notification form (see attached).
2. For FREE LETR collateral, please go to www.TorchRunAZ.com to order marketing materials to support your event
3. If you are looking for additional equipment, please send your request via email to Kelsey and specify the date of picking up and dropping off equipment from the SOAZ Distribution Center
Tip-A-Cop: (Year-Round)
A Tip-A-Cop is an event where law enforcement partner with a local restaurant and help wait and bus tables working alongside the restaurant wait staff. The officers will go around from table to table (preferably in uniform and alongside athletes) and talk to the customers about how they are supporting Special Olympics athletes. They ask the customers to tip whatever they normally would to the restaurant waiter/waitress but, if they’d like to make an additional “Tip” to Special Olympics by “tipping” a cop. This fundraiser is typically arranged by calling the local restaurant manager and describing the event and asking if their department can come and host this fundraiser at their restaurant at a determined date/time for a few hours.
Polar Plunge: (Jan-March)
A Polar Plunge is typically put on in the first part of the year, where it is somewhat chilly. The idea is that a group of individuals will take a “plunge” into freezing water and raise money by doing so. The individuals can plunge by themselves or with a team and the goal is to have friends, family and colleagues donate in support of individuals or teams. The participants will jump into a pool, lake or nearby source of water with permission of the local city or recreation department and determine a specific date and time.
Minute that Matters (March)
One Minute Challenge is one minute fundraiser for any school’s Special Olympics program on campus. The best part is—it’s literately just a minute! If a school has an existing Special Olympics Unified program and/or club on campus, 100% of the money raised during the minute challenge will go directly back to that program. If a school doesn’t have an existing Special Olympics program and/or club on campus, the money can be utilized to start one! While the statewide day for this event occurs in conjunction with Disabilities Awareness week, you can schedule your Minute that Matters ANYTIME!
Torch Run: (Actual Run | Late April/May)
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is a series of intra-state runs/walk/bicycle segments that take place a week prior to the Special Olympics Summer Games. Each segment is completely up to the law enforcement agency as to how far and how long they run, walk or bicycle their segment. A physical “torch” is passed from agency to agency to represent the Flame of Hope
Each department has 100% control over the planning, logistics, permits and route of their segment(s). All participants are required to sign that year’s waiver and order/wear that years torch run shirt ($20/Short Sleeve & $25/Long Sleeve) while participating. This is the fundraising side that creates huge awareness!
Fry’s Fuel of Dreams: (October)
Law enforcement partners with local Fry’s Fuel Centers (Gas Station) on a specific date/time to pump customer’s gas and clean their windshield in exchange for donation to Special Olympics Arizona. It is typically for no more than 3 hours and Special Olympics takes care of all the logistics and organizing of the event. The agencies are simply responsible for showing up with at least 4-5 representatives!
Over the Edge: (December)
The Over the Edge event is a unique and thrilling opportunity to support Special Olympics by rappelling off of a 27 story skyscraper in the heart of downtown Phoenix! This is a pledge-based fundraiser is where rappeller’s raise money ($1000) in order to participate. The goal is to have friends, family and colleagues donate in support of individuals or teams. Each participate signs up online and can create their own fundraising page asking others to support them. The individuals have until the day of the event to raise their $1000 minimum and the Over the Edge Company takes care of all the other day of details regarding ropes, rappelling equipment, volunteers, and everything else. No experience is required in order to participate.
Other Agency Fundraisers
LETR signature events are not the only opportunities to support Special Olympics Athletes! Throughout the year, agencies have found great success in coming up with unique ways to support for the athletes without the need of a large event. Ideas include…
No Shave, no problem!
· Every employee pays $50 to grow facial hair outside of agency regulations
Casual Dress Day
· Collect donations of $10 for every day an employee gets to wear jeans at work
Agency BBQ
· Get supplies/food items to cook donated by local grocery store and charge $5 for a meal, then have fun eating amongst your colleagues!
These ideas are just starting blocks! New ideas are always encouraged and your Special Olympics liaison is there to support new initiatives
LETR Committees within YOUR agency
To encourage sustainability for the support of SOAZ athletes, agency committees are extremely beneficial. Not only will it create more engagement to LETR, but strengthening your Committee will allow for ownership, delegation of workload, and opportunities for new, creative ideas benefitting LETR. Though committees may be formed in many different ways, some role examples are:
Committee Chair
The committee chair will primarily oversee committee actions and be the main LETR liaison for your agency. This individual is the connection from SOAZ to you and oversees all actions
Event Chairs
Event Chairs each focus on a specific LETR event. For example, the “Tip A Cop” chair will take the lead on coordinating each Tip A Cop events while other members of the agency committee take support roles. Then, that person would take support roles for other events, such as Over the Edge!
Marketing & Public Relations
Delegate someone become familiar with the LETR and SOAZ brands to take the lead on flyers, media opportunities, social media posts, and more!
Volunteer Chair
The volunteer chair will work with the SOAZ Area Director to find out details of local and state competitions. Then, they can coordinate agency representation at upcoming events.
SOAZ and LETR representatives are ALWAYS happy to attend agency committee meetings and offer extra support! Contact Kelsey if you are interested!
Overall Best Practices:
Fundraising Policies
100% of all the funds raised through the Law Enforcement Torch Run directly support Special Olympics Arizona. Each agency that is involved in any fundraising for Special Olympics through LETR is responsible for turning in and submitting the money no later than 2 weeks after each event, with the exception of the Torch Run Week, which is 4 weeks after the event. Agencies should not hold onto any money for longer than 2 weeks after an event.
In some cases, the SOAZ state office will ask for total amounts raised from your event before the funds are directly received in person.
Each agency is highly encouraged to have keep track of their fundraising efforts that they participate in throughout the year. The fiscal year for LETR is from January-December each year and all the funds raised within that year from each department will be soft credited for their department. All funds raised in each year will count towards the next year’s agency badge either top 10 or top 10 per capita on the Torch Run t-shirts depending of course, on the totals of all agencies in Arizona.
Turning in Funds:
1. Wells Fargo ATM Deposit Card:
a. If your agency has a Wells Fargo ATM Deposit Card, assign one person from the department to be responsible and deposit any checks, cash or money they raised with their card.
b. The representative will go to the nearest Wells Fargo ATM and deposit the money with the zip code on the outside of the card that is the PIN.
c. Please note, this CANNOT be done inside a Wells Fargo branch but, has to be at the ATM otherwise it will show up as a misc. donation and we can’t track that.
d. Once the money is deposited, the representative will scan of copy of the deposit slip(s) and email them or mail them to the LETR Coordinator (see contacts).
e. IF YOU DON’T HAVE A DEPOSIT CARD, please email the LETR Coordinator (see contacts).
2. Sending in through Mail or dropping it off at Special Olympics Office:
a. If sending in or dropping off, please fill out and attach the LETR Donation Form (attached).
b. If dropping off, please give funds to Mary and inform her of your agency and the event
i. Address found on last page
3. Utilizing Square Readers
a. IF you have a square reader to utilize, you may follow the below steps to do so:
b. Download “Square Register” from the App store then open the app & turn on your GPS settings
c. Open the app, and click “Sign In”
i. Log in name:
ii. Password: letrsoaz
d. Where it says, “Note” please put your agency name and event
i. example – “DOC Phoenix – Tip A Cop”
ii. This is very important because this will help us know exactly where the donations should be credited after the event. (if you turn it off, and then on again, you will have to enter it again)