A Shoshone County Sheriff’s deputy and his daughter made the Wallace segment of the Special Olympics Idaho Law Enforcement Torch Run a family moment to remember this month, carrying the “Flame of Hope” together through the heart of Silver Valley.
Deputy Dale Porter ran alongside his daughter Lilly, a Special Olympics athlete who competes with the Kootenai County Eagles, during a mile-long stretch through Wallace that brought together law enforcement officers from multiple Shoshone County agencies. Shoshone County Sheriff Shawn Wehr was also on hand for the event.
Because Shoshone County’s own team does not include runners, Lilly stepped in to represent the effort and carry the torch — a role that turned into a memory her family will not soon forget.
“I felt really happy and excited to run with everyone, and the best part was I got to run and hold the torch with my very own daddy,” Lilly said. “I love running, and I can’t wait to run again next year.”
Community Support Behind the Flame
Lilly’s mother, Jen Porter, followed the runners in a vehicle sponsored by Les Schwab Tires, which she identified as a major supporter of Special Olympics Idaho. That vehicle also carried Shoshone County athletes who are not runners — including Lilly’s sister, Iris — allowing the full group to travel together and meet at the finish line alongside fellow athletes and law enforcement participants.
“I feel law enforcement plays such an important role in SOID,” Jen said, noting that being part of the organization has been “life-changing for both the athletes and volunteers.”
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is a global relay-style fundraising event in which law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes jointly carry the Flame of Hope through their communities. The relay is patterned after the Olympic torch tradition, with participants handing the torch from group to group along a route that leads to the opening ceremony of a Special Olympics competition.
Summer Games Ahead in Nampa
This year’s Special Olympics Idaho Summer Games are scheduled to open May 29 in Nampa, meaning the Wallace run was among the final relay legs before athletes gather for competition statewide.
The Torch Run raises money through community donations, corporate partnerships, and fundraising activities such as Polar Plunge events and Tip-A-Cop fundraisers organized by local law enforcement agencies. Those dollars go directly toward athlete needs, including training costs, travel, equipment, and health services, while also building broader public awareness of the Special Olympics mission.
For Shoshone County’s law enforcement community, the event offered a chance to demonstrate support for local athletes and strengthen ties with a program that serves individuals with intellectual disabilities across Idaho. The Porter family’s participation — with a deputy dad, a competing daughter, and a mom helping coordinate logistics — captured the spirit the run is designed to inspire.
For more on community events and life in Wallace, see our feature on what makes Idaho’s small mining town a destination worth knowing.
What Comes Next
Special Olympics Idaho’s Summer Games open in Nampa on May 29, bringing together athletes from across the state. Shoshone County athletes who traveled with the Wallace relay group are expected to compete. Community members interested in supporting Special Olympics Idaho through donations or future fundraising events can visit the organization’s official website at soidaho.org.