Rachel Dawson smiles wide as she receives the freshly light Flame of Hope. The Special Olympic soccer player was the first to hold the flame at the start of the Law Enforcement Torch Run yesterday and she held it high.

The torch is one-of-a-kind, carved by Owen Munro, a fellow special Olympian.

It was passed hand to hand as Serge Michaud, Special Olympics Yukon and Torch Run Liason, addressed the group of about 50 law enforcement and Special Olympians in front of him.

“This is the largest Law Enforcement Torch Run we’ve ever had in the Yukon,” he said. “Congratulations all of you for signing up.”

The rain had broken for their pre-event gathering, but Michaud looked up at the gathering clouds and said, “the quicker you get there, the less chance of it raining on you.”

In front of the S.S. Klondike, the crowd of yellow t-shirts slowly started jogging towards Fourth Avenue along with their banner and the torch.

Deputy fire marshal James Paterson jogged along, Darth Vader breathing in his fire suit.

Two squad cars bookended the group of runners, as they travelled along Fourth and Main Streets before turning onto the Millenium Trail and heading to Rotary Peace Park.

The Torch Run is held every year to raise money for Special Olympics Yukon and to raise awareness of the hard-working athletes.

This weekend, Carmacks will host the Northwestel Development Games with 28 Special Olympians taking part in swimming, golf and floor hockey.

“Yukon Law Enforcement officers are proud to carry the torch to recognize over 90 amazing Yukon athletes with an intellectual disability” said Whitehorse RCMP Inspector, Dan Austin, LETR Director for Yukon. “Running through the streets of Whitehorse with the Flame of Hope is one of many ways we hope to increase awareness of Special Olympics Yukon.”

There are Law Enforcement Torch Runs held around the world and since the first run was held in 1981, more than $461 million has been raised for Special Olympics programs.

Earlier this year three Yukon athletes were named to Team Canada for the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria in March 2017.

Ernest Chua will represent Canada in cross-country skiing, while Tijana McCarthy and Michael Sumner will attend for figure skating.