Deputy Kelly Schroeder of the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office and Stephanie Wilkerson, a Special Olympics Davidson County athlete, were selected by the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) International Executive Council to represent the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics North Carolina (NC LETR) at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, taking place in Minnesota, June 20-26.
Schroeder and Wilkerson, who were nominated by the NC LETR Council, are the only North Carolinians selected to run with the Final Leg Torch Run team as Guardians of the Flame®, running the Flame of Hope throughout Minnesota leading up to the Opening Ceremony of the Games on June 20 in Minneapolis.
Final Leg runners from around the country were selected to represent their local LETR and Special Olympics Programs, honoring the spirit of the Special Olympics global movement and delivering a message of hope to communities where people with intellectual disabilities continue to fight for acceptance and inclusion.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics is Special Olympics’ largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle in the world. Nearly 100,000 law enforcement members in all 50 U.S. States, 12 Canadian provinces/territories and 44 countries contribute to LETR efforts annually as Guardians of the Flame, ensuring the delivery of the Special Olympics Flame of Hope to the Opening Ceremony of local Special Olympics competitions, state/provincial Games and national/regional Games.
Schroeder serves as a School Resource Officer and K9 handler. Along with her K9, Tito, Schroeder regularly volunteers at many Special Olympics events across North Carolina. She has proudly served with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office for 26 years. In 2021, Schroeder began fundraising for the NC LETR and has worked to increase her agency’s involvement with fundraising initiatives for Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC).
“I love being a part of the NC LETR and Special Olympics. Watching athletes build their self-esteem through sports is a truly amazing feeling,” Schroeder said. “I am honored to be chosen to represent the State of North Carolina and my county. The best part of being selected is that I get to do this with Stephanie Wilkerson, as she is one of the main reasons I keep doing this work.”
Wilkerson has participated in Special Olympics since 2014. She was trained to be a Special Olympics Global Messenger, which is an athlete spokesperson, in 2017. Since then, she has served on the SONC Athlete Leadership Council and as a NC LETR athlete ambassador.
“Being chosen to run in the Final Leg for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games means the world to me and it is a once-in-a-lifetime honor for me,” shares Wilkerson. “It means carrying the Flame of Hope — a symbol of courage, unity and inclusion — and representing every athlete who shows the world what true strength looks like. I am proud to be part of something bigger than myself and to help share this powerful message with others.”
About the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics North Carolina
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is an international fundraising campaign for Special Olympics. Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and competition for more than 5.4 million children and adults around the world who have intellectual disabilities. Nearly 53,000 athletes and Unified partners participate in Special Olympics in North Carolina, making it one of the largest Special Olympics programs in the world.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics is officially endorsed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriff’s Association, the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, the National Association of School Resource Officers, NC Association of School Resource Officers, NC Department of Justice and the NC Department of Public Safety.
About Special Olympics North Carolina
Since 1968, the organization has used the transformative power of sports to improve the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Nearly 53,000 athletes (individuals with intellectual disabilities) and Unified partners (individuals without intellectual disabilities) in North Carolina inspire thousands of coaches, sports officials, local program committee members and event organizers involved in Special Olympics statewide. SONC offers year-round training and competition in 20 Olympic-type sports on local and state levels as well as health and wellness initiatives to improve the health status and increase access to community health resources for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Youth become agents of change through Unified Champion Schools, an education and sports-based program created by Special Olympics to build an inclusive environment among youth with and without intellectual disabilities as well as empower them to become youth leaders and create change in their community. Engage with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
