Dave and Andrea Kramer home from Greece
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| Dave Kramer, Tim Shriver and Andrea Kramer in Athens, Greece. |
Dave and Andrea were selected as two of three photographers selected to document the event, which began June 9 with the "Flame of Hope" ignited by the sun's rays in Athens at the sacred site of Pnyx. Traditionally the "Guardians of the Flame," 100 law enforcement officers from around the world, 10 Special Olympics athletes and 30 support staff carried the Special Olympics torch past the Acropolis, the Odeon of Herod Atticus, the Acropolis Museum and the Hellanic Parliament to a special ceremony at Zappeion.
Dave and Andrea arrived in Greece June 6 with other team members, and following the lighting of the flame the final leg team was divided to cover three routes on a journey throughout Greece. The first route passed through Greece's eastern mainland and the Sporades Islands, ultimately passing through 40 Greek towns and Constantinople.
Andrea was assigned to cover the second route, which crossed the entire Peloponnese, western mainland and the Lonian Islands. They held ceremonies in 64 Greek towns, which included speeches by a law enforcement torch bearer and a Special Olympics athlete and torch bearer and local officials.
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| Dave Kramer poses with the Special Olympics Flame of Hope. |
On June 24, the three torchbearer teams met again in Athens to run past all the hospitality centers where the athletes participating in the Special Olympics World Summer Games Athens will be residing. The flame was delivered to the Presidential Honor Guards at the Acropolis Sacred Rock, where they guarded the flame through the night, and it was returned to the Torch Run team on the morning of June 25, who carried the Flame of Hope to the Kallimarmaron Panathenaikon (Marble) Stadium, where it was used to light the cauldron to proclaim the official opening of the Special Olympics World Summer Games.
Despite the turmoil that nation is undergoing, Dave said that each community treated the Final Leg runners and the Flame of Hope with open arms. He said that on arriving, they could hear loud protests not far from their hotel, but throughout their stay, none of the Special Olympics Torch bearers ever felt threatened.
The Kramers, who have long been part of the Idaho Special Olympics and participated in Law Enforcement Torch Runs through the state for years, called their trip to Greece amazing.
"What was impressive were the 10 Special Olympics athletes selected to be part of the 10 teams that made up the Final Leg Torch Run Team," Dave said. "One Special Olympics athlete was assigned to each team, and it was always a law enforcement officer and a Special Olympics athlete up front, carrying the torch together. These athletes carried the torch every step of the way, and gave a speech at each ceremony."
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| A Special Olympics athlete and a law enforcement officer carry the torch at the head of a throng of jubilant runners as the Torch of Hope nears the end of its journey. |
"We made new friends from around the world, and are humbled to have been given the opportunity to be part of this great event," Dave said.
While the run was underway, the three photographers assigned to document the Final Leg Torch Run posted their photos on-line to share with the world, and over 400,000 availed themselves the opportunity to follow their progress. You can find their work at www.flickr.com/photos/2011letrfinalleg.
Both Dave and Andrea are proud to support Special Olympics, and they encourage others to support the cause as well. You can learn more by visiting the Idaho Special Olympics website, Special Olympics International, or the Law Enforcement Torch Run.