April 6, 2005

Creating awareness is what the Law Enforcement Torch Run is all about. It is creating awareness about people with intellectual disabilities in general and about Special Olympics specifically. My trip to Japan to run in the Final Leg Run of the Law Enforcement Torch Run was all about opening the eyes of the Japanese people. In the 60s and 70s, the country of Japan established colonies where people with intellectual disabilities would live. It was only in 2003 when people from these colonies were asked what they wanted to do. Now they are allowed to move into group homes in their own communities and work if they choose to do so. Only 5 percent of the population in Japan had an awareness of Special Olympics. To inspire more involvement in local Special Olympics programs, the 5 Million Person Torch Run was started in Japan on September 11, 2004. The runners were Japanese people carrying the "Flame of Friendship" around their country. On Feb. 17, 2005, over 100 law enforcement officers, 10 Special Olympics athletes and support staff arrived in Japan. We were tired from our long journeys but excited to finally meet each other and to do some running. I was especially excited as my roommate was the Japanese athlete. Her name was Kae (Ki) Momota. Kae is 25 years old and has been involved in Special Olympics for seven years. Kae did not speak any English. Because Kae was my roommate a Japanese runner who could interpret for us was staying right next door. We spent one night in our first motel in Tokyo. The next morning we were packed onto busses to move us to our first Final Leg Ceremony. I didn't know it then, but those busses were going to be a big part of our lives for the next 10 days. We did five ceremonies in the city of Tokyo. We started with the Flame Arrival Ceremony at Tokyo's Metropolitan Square. Next we went to the Prime Minister of Japan's offices, where our second ceremony took place. We did three more ceremonies including one at the National Police Agency and the Tokyo Fire Department Headquarters. The Chief of the Fire Department acted as if he was about to blow out the flame. When we got back on the bus, we were surprised to see a 7-Eleven on the street corner. Many of us had to check it out. We found many Japanese-style snacks. All the signs were in Japanese. Other than that, it was a typical 7-Eleven. Our second night was spent in another motel in Tokyo. I was amazed at the narrowness of the streets. There is not much room for anything but the vehicles and the vehicles in Japan are very small. Even the trucks are small. The streets in Japan are very colorful. As we traveled through the city, I was reminded of Los Vegas. But it would be Los Vegas during the daytime without all the lights. The next day we traveled to Matsumoto City in the "Japanese Alps." In Tokyo there was no snow. As we went up into the mountains the snow became deeper and the scenery more beautiful. We stopped at a wayside along the way. There were vendors inside and outside the building making fresh Japanese cuisine. It was really my first chance to sample some of the local food. Matsumoto City was to be our home base for the next five nights. We got settled into our new motel and prepared for our only ceremony of the day. This ceremony was taking place at Matsumoto Temple. It is Japan's oldest medieval castle. This ceremony was called the Flame Unification Ceremony as we were bringing the "Flame of Hope" of the Law Enforcement Torch Run and unifying it with the "Flame of Friendship" from the 5 Million People Torch Run. It was snowing during this ceremony. I made a note in my journal, "It is snowing hard and it is beautiful." Huge fluffy white flakes falling from the sky as flames were brought together to light the cauldron. This ceremony is also the one where we first heard the song "Ring." It was always sung in Japanese so I may never know the words, but it was beautiful. This was to be the first of many heartwarming experiences. We had a good night's sleep and were up and out of our room by 6:40 a.m. the next day. We went back to Matsumoto Temple to split the flame and the team in two and to start our separate journeys throughout the Nagano Prefecture. We did five more ceremonies this day. Each town was excited and ready for our arrival. Each of them would have a performance for us to watch. On this day we watched several traditional Japanese drum performances and a group of kindergarten children dancing. At each ceremony we gave out Final Leg Torch Run pins. We had photo sessions with athletes, dignitaries, parents, and children. Over the next several days we participated in six or seven ceremonies each day. We ran approximately six to seven miles each day. We traveled into the mountains then back into the valleys. We met many people and children. We enjoyed many performances with the drums. We gave out pins and were mobbed by the children. It was a good feeling to see the faces of the intellectually disabled light up when we went to greet them and to put a pin on their shirts. Everywhere we went, they had hand-painted posters representing the Special Olympics hanging high on the walls. On Feb. 22, it was my turn to give the speech. The routine at the ceremonies was to have a dignitary of the town speak, followed by one of the law enforcement runners and ending with speech from an athlete. We were told to be prepared for this speech and to bring a gift to exchange with the dignitary. It is the custom in Japan to exchange gifts. Before I left home I had worried about this gift. I wanted it to be something special from Wisconsin. When I think of Wisconsin, I think of cheese. I decided to take a chance and cheese is what I took. I had to take special care to keep it cool. Some of my running mates brought plaques, badges and other police memorabilia. I was thinking that maybe cheese wouldn't be good enough. It turned out to be a special gift. Japan does not have cheese like we have in Wisconsin. The dignitary who received it was very pleased. On the night of Feb. 25 we attended a reception at the Renkoji Temple. The temple is just as you might picture it. There is an altar with a Buddha on it. The smell of incense is in the air. There is much gold trim around the altar. There were many important people at the reception. Tim Shriver (son of Eunice Kennedy Shriver) the CEO of Special Olympics International, Yuriko Takizawa, a woman who was instrumental in bringing the games to Japan, the First Lady of Poland and the Chief of the Tokyo Fire Department. Feb. 25 was our big day. This is the day we had worked for and looked forward to. This was our goal. We were to carry the torch four miles from the Zenjoki Temple to the M-Wave Center for the opening ceremonies. We went through one more short ceremony. The song "Ring" was sung again. By this time we had started to hold hands up in the air and sway with the music as a group. When we did it, everybody did it. Each time, I had a good feeling in my heart. The run began easily on a gradual down slope. Before I knew it we were halfway there and we stopped to regroup to give everyone a chance to carry the flame. I actually carried the flame about six times during the whole Final Leg. We all had a chance to share in the experience. Each time I carried the torch, held the torch or guarded the torch, I felt proud. We made the run in about an hour. We ran in formation chanting all the way. Crowds of people all along the way cheered us on. The M-Wave Center was our destination, but the run was not the end of our job. At 6 p.m., the opening ceremonies of the Special Olympics Games began. It started like any other Olympic Ceremony with countries being introduced and athletes parading around the track. Our final job was to bring the flame into the ceremony and light the cauldron. It was amazing to watch the Olympic Torch make its way around the track. Every time there was an exchange, you could only see the top of the torch because there were so many Olympic athletes trying to touch it. All of the athletes tried to touch the torch. It was just a great feeling to watch the torch slowly go around the track and up to the cauldron, where the Special Olympic Flame was then lit. I and many other officers in full dress uniform were directly below the cauldron. In addition to the fantastic Special Olympics experience, I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to experience a little of the Japanese culture. The Japanese hospitality was great, as was the food, the scenery and the Japanese baths, which were very relaxing. I would highly recommend a trip to Japan.