First Annual Torch Run Photo Contest Winners Announced
On Friday, October 5, 2001, the judging panel for the First Annual Torch Run Photo Contest convened to select three finalists in the two categories of submissions. With hundreds of photos from almost 80 different agencies to choose from, the task was not an easy one.
Members of the panel included staff of International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and Special Olympics International (SOI), namely Elisa Cohen, IACP Marketing Manager; Bobby Jones, athlete, Special Olympics Virginia; Heather Mathews, SOI Torch Run Specialist; Douglas McAllister, SOI Director of Publications; Daniel N. Rosenblatt, IACP Executive Director; Stratton Shartel, Assistant Editor for Police Chief, and Kirsten Suto, SOI Media Relations Manager.
Congratulations to the following programs, whose photos were chosen as the top three in each category.
Category A: Law enforcement as the guardians of the flame—personnel carrying the torch, interacting with communities, raising funds and awareness of the events, etc.
- First place contributor: Port St. Lucie Police Department in Florida
- Second place contributor: Vero Beach Police Department in Florida
- Third place contributor: Ontario Special Olympics
Category B: Law enforcement in support of the Special Olympics athletes themselves—personnel in interaction with the athlete(s).
- First place contributor: Missouri State Highway Patrol
- Second place contributor: Ontario Special Olympics
- Third place contributor: New Mexico Special Olympics
All finalists' photos will be displayed at the Torch Run Booth at the 108th Annual IACP Conference on October 27-31, 2001 in Toronto, Ontario and at the 20th Anniversary Torch Run Conference on November 1-4, 2001 in Wichita, Kansas.
All photos that were submitted for the contest will be available for reclaiming at the Torch Run conference in Wichita. During that conference, please contact Elisa Cohen or Lorne White if you would like to have your photos returned. Messages can be left in Special Olympics meeting office in the boardroom of the Hyatt.
If you are unable to attend that conference and would like your photos returned, contact Elisa Cohen with your return shipping information and the name of the submitting program either by email paulsond@theiacp.org or by fax at 703-836-4743.
Thank you to everyone for the generous response to this new effort.