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Natalie Dopp, an accomplished Special Olympian from Greer, will accompany the Special Olympics Flame of Hope through Greer Friday. The public is invited to view the event.
The route the Special Olympics Flame of Hope will travel through Greer on Friday. The public is invited.
The Special Olympics Unified Relay Across America will bring the flame through Greer as it makes its way to its final destination — the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, Calif.
The Flame of Hope was lit by the sun’s rays on May 14 in Athens, Greece and will follow three routes leading to Los Angeles.
Sergeant Chris Forrester, officer Chris Krajenka, and Detective Mary Wood of the Greer Police Department will be running alongside Greer’s Natalie Dopp to escort the flame during a half-mile segment. Dopp, who has Down syndrome, has been a Special Olympics athlete since she was 8 years old. Dopp, 24, enjoys participating in track and field, tennis, and basketball.
“She is thrilled to have been asked to be a part of the Torch Run,” Gail Dopp, Natalie’s mother, said. “That's all she has been talking about and tells everyone she speaks to about the big event. It is a huge honor for her and we are very proud of her.”
Forrester, who initiated Greer’s participation said, “I have participated in several Law Enforcement Special Olympic torch runs, and to see the joy and happiness of the athletes’ faces when they see the torch enter the sports facility is something that will make you want to do it time and time again.”
Wood, who is a criminal investigator, wrote, “I’m honored to be part of an event that supports valuable members of our community.”
The Flame of Hope will arrive on Highway 101 at 2:30 p.m. and will then bicycle past City Hall and City Park to Arlington Avenue. The running portion will begin on North Main Street at 2:57 p.m.
Steve Owens, spokesperson for the city, said that Pine Street at approximately 3 p.m., should be an excellent viewing location, as well as Century Park, where the torch will pass around 3:20 p.m.
The police department is inviting anyone to come watch and to support the athletes.
The 2015 Special Olympics World Games will be held July25 through Aug. 2 and is expected to be the largest sports event this year with 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches, representing 177 countries. About 500,000 spectators are anticipated to view the events in Los Angeles.
• About the author: Kim Wooten, 25, was born with Cerebral Palsy, which is a condition that affects her muscles and muscle control. She graduated cum laude in 2010 from North Greenville University with a B.A. in Business Administration. Wooten is married and has a 3-year old daughter.