New Police Chase event fundraising for Special Olympics

The Police Chase, new running event in downtown Halifax, was held for the inaugural year on Sunday July 20, to raise money for the Special Olympics Canada Torch Run and turned the usual dynamics of encounters with the cops on their head.

Municipal police officers and RCMP officers, rather than handing out speeding tickets on the course, were handing out ballots runners could drop in a raffle box for a chance to win $100.

Although the total tally hasn’t been added up yet, race director Michelle Kempton, also director for the popular Maritime Race Weekend each fall, says the run raised about $25,000. Everyone who helped put on the race, including the police officers, were volunteers.

“So many times we fund raise we never meet who we’re helping and the participants who signed up said it was amazing to meet the athletes, to see them cross the finish line and be at a Special Olympics event.” says Kempton.

“That’s the most important part of this event, that the athletes are a part of it.”

The 5K run event was not timed and all proceeds from the run went to the Torch Run. The new event, which is planned to be an annual fundraiser for the charity, saw a turnout of just under 1,000 runners, with about 100 registering the day before.

Kempton originally closed registration first on June 30th, having to get logistics in order and prepare for race day, but again on the day before the event opened registration for last-minute entrants.

The run is planned to be an annual event, although the dates of the run might change in future years, depending on the race schedule of Special Olympics athletes in future seasons.