For a few moments Tuesday, Benicia was part of an international celebration that will culminate July 25 when the Flame of Hope ignites the cauldron at the start of the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.

Athletes and their law enforcement supporters, led by gold and silver medalist Jazmine Slama of Utah and Sgt. Bruce Merriam of Vermont, ran into City Park, cheered by children and adults who waved “Last Leg” flags and high-fived the 28 runners who were received in a welcoming ceremony by city dignitaries and a performance by VOENA singers.

Slama, 22, is a gold medalist in the 1,500 and 800 meter races and a silver in the 400 meter race.

She spoke with pride of her Navajo Native American heritage, and said she did not know of Special Olympics until 2011. Her father became her coach, and she found herself eligible to compete.

“It helped me build my self-esteem,” she said.

In 2014, she told the Benicia audience, she was urged by Utah Special Olympics to represent her state in the national Games in New Jersey. Her father had her running five miles a day as part of her training, and it paid off in those medals.

Her father also gave her some inspiring words she shared with her audience. “Do not be afraid to dream,” she said.

The dream has continued in her chance to carry the Flame of Hope, the Olympic torch that stopped in Benicia on its way from Greece, site of the most recent World Games, to Los Angeles, its next site.

“This is a great honor for me,” she said. “This is just amazing.”

“What an athlete!” said Merriam, a member of the Stowe, Vt., Police Department.

“I’m 3,000 miles from home, and I’m blessed to share the journey,” he said. “I’m humbled to be a Guardian of the Flame.”
That’s the term used for police officers who participate in the torch runs.

Special Olympics was started in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of President John F. Kennedy, to focus on what those with learning disabilities can do rather than what they can’t.

Law enforcement has been a supporter of Special Olympics since 1981, Benicia Police Chief Erik Upson said during the welcoming ceremony.

From a humble beginning fundraiser that donated a few hundred dollars to the Special Olympics organization, officers and agencies have contributed $500 million to Special Olympics in the past 34 years — $50 million worldwide last year alone, he said.
Upson said his own affiliation with Special Olympics “has made me a better person, and has made me stronger.”

Benicia Police Department’s own support of Special Olympics, particularly the Northern California games, led to the city’s chance to have the World Games torch brought to the city.

During the ceremony Tuesday afternoon, Slama and Merriam presented Councilmember Christina Strawbridge with gifts, a handcrafted Vermont maple cutting board and a jar of maple syrup from Merriam’s home state.

In return, he and Slama received a Benicia Waterfront Festival T-shirt, Benicia Cup, artist-designed post cards and a book of city history. Upson gave Merriam and Slama a Benicia Police mug, challenge coin and department patch.

While most of the runners at the City Park gazebo ceremony represented an international assembly of peace officers, three of the participants were athletes — Slama, Brett Laza, 23, of Southern California, who is another track and field athlete, and Jonathan Sparks, 55, of Elk Grove, whose specialty is aquatic sports.

“I never thought I would be going to Los Angeles for the Games,” Sparks said as he joined Nancy Howell, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in holding the torch aloft. “Isn’t that cool?”

About 7,000 athletes, 3,000 coaches and 30,000 volunteers from 165 countries will participate this month at the 2015 Special Olympic World Games in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and other venues throughout the city.

Athletes will compete in 25 different sports – basketball, badminton, equestrian events, bocce, bowling, cycling, golf, gymnastics, judo, kayaking, power lifting, sailing, softball, skating, table tennis and court tennis, volleyball, handball and several track and field and aquatics contests.

The competitions are free and open to the public.

Those interested may visit the website la2015.org/about-org.