Following a thrilling kick-off at the Alberta legislature, Lacombe and District Special Olympics is gearing up to send 10 athletes off to compete at the Alberta Summer Games next month in Medicine Hat.
 
Local high school student Cobie Matheson will be competing in 5 pin bowling at the Games and he recently had an opportunity to help launch the final leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run alongside a member of the Lacombe Police Service, standing at attention on the steps of the legislature.
 
Constable Jeff Hewitt has been involved with Special Olympics since 2011 and says it's been a rewarding experience and it was great to share in some joy with Cobie, who met former Oilers Captain Andrew Ference at the event.

“I think with law enforcement a lot of time it’s a very thankless job and this is definitely one of the most positive organizations you can be involved with. For me, a great opportunity to be invited to it, seeing Cobie there, he’s a huge Oilers fan, so seeing him when he got to meet Andrew at the end there, just to see the smile on his face”.

Hewitt says he’s been able to create quite a special bond with Cobie.

“Awesome kid! So I am one of the School Resource Officers, so he’s one of my high school kids so I actually knew him before through the Special Olympics, through different events, so I got to have a pretty good relationship with him, seen him throughout the school and then recently Flying Cross Ranch here in town offered a youth development program and he was interested in that, so he’s been going to that as well”.

The Flame of Hope, in the care of the Law Enforcement Torch Run is enroute to Medicine Mat for the Games July 7-9th, making a stop in 6 communities including Red Deer on June 25th, 1pm at the Collicutt Centre.

Lacombe and District Special Olympics will be sending a team of 5 pin bowlers, joining Cobie is Colin Strugnell, Vicki Day, Ashley Lamey, and Jenette Lawton, as well as a team of 5 swimmers, Warren Campbell, Angela Ahlquist, Skylar Krossa, Jason Pugh and Justin Hoffman.

In total 189 athletes from Central Alberta will compete at the Games.

(Photo's Courtesy of Lacombe Police Service)