"If you can get to their heads, you can get to their hearts"

If you can get to their heads, you can get to their hearts!!

Monday morning started off a little dreary, rainy and muggy, but with the smiles from our athletes we could have light up New York City...so needless to say we didn’t pay much attention or notice the rain. We left the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus at 8am to head to our first stop West Point, Nebraska. We arrived in West Point around 930am after driving through steady rain for nearly an hour unitl just about thed edge of town and it seemed to lighten up just as we exited the RV to get ready to strecth. West Point is much like any other Midwestern Small town from what I have seen in my travels  across the country. They are very prideful of their town, the school sports teams and very very patriotic. We started our run near a small local grain elevator and several of the officers on the trip ran over to the grain elevator and took pictures. Then they all noticed the feed and tack store across the street so they wanted to see what was inside. I am a city boy but growing up in Oklahoma I still have a general concept of what things are, these guys were funny. Like a group of kids in Toys R Us for the first time. We started our run running into town to end at the Nielsen Community Center. As we ran through the towns main buisness area there were a few that had signs that welcomed the Torch Run but almost all of them had an American Flag or a patrotic decoration on their store fronts. Much like in when I was on the Final Leg in Idaho you get that very Norman Rockwell feel. All the lawns are very manicured with prestine flowers beads, several of the residents stepped out onto their porch as we ran by their residences to wave. 

As we turned off the main street of West Point the town Volunteer Fire Department had their ladder truck extended with a very large American Flag hanging from it. Being a run team leader is such an amazing experince because I run along side the formation and it gives me ability to look on the runners faces. Seeing the smiles on their faces, goose bumps on their arms and you can see the joy from their heart as they carry the “Flame of Hope.” We reached the community center to a very nice reception with a group of about 20-30 local athletes and their families. Tom Madera was the Law Enforcement speaker for this leg of our journey. He spoke of his involvment with Special Olympics and the LETR. Tom also quoted Mrs. Shriver saying “That if you can get to their heads, you can get to their hearts.” This is so true if you can get to someone and get them involved just once to see that smile from an athlete they will be hooked for life. Our athletes have so much to offer us, compassion, show us how to win and loose gracefully as well as just how to be a better person. Tom gave a great speech, he truely has the heart of a Torch Runner and he doesnt just talk he talk he walks the walk. Tom has been amazing to Robbie, their is no doubt they are close and will stay close. 

From West Point we traveled to Freemont, Nebraska. Freemont is another quiet great Midwestern town and so was our last stop of the day Blair. All three of these towns reminded me of the song “Small Town” by John Mellencamp. This is not a derogity thing, these three towns you could tell embrase the core values of family, church, education, our country and supportimg our athletes. 

As we ran through Freemont their Fire Department had also hung a large flag from their ladder truck that we ran under as we ran down main street. We were greated by several buisness and resturants that had no only employees but customers come out to cheer us on as we went by. I saw several small children with their parents waving american flags as we went by. When we got to the ceremony sight, which was the Freemont High School Stadium Robbie gave his speech and was joined by LAPD Officer Gary Beecher. 

Robbie did an amazing job giving his presentation at the Freemont High School football stadium. He has really figured out how to work the crowd and he likes hugging the pretty girls in each town. Robbie looked at tom earlier in the day and said “Tom if you got it you got it, but not everone does.” Everyone on the RV started laughing because he says the wittest things some times, he keeps up laughing. It is amazing we will be sitting on the RV spread out relaxing and he will randomly say someones name then “your my buddy.” After this trip he will have buddies for ever from this trip. 

During Gary’s speech he talks about his experience as a LAPD with the Southern California LETR. He talks about how Southern California Special Olympics used to not  allow the Torch Run to go thru the area near the LA Colisuem and USC. He explained that they had all the resources to keep everyone safe and after years of coaxing as well as asuring them of everyone’s safety they allowed it. Gary said the first year that happened they witnessed an armed robbery in front of them, he had his gun and badge in the car so he chased after the suspet catching them. He jokingly said then he turned,  looked at his athletes and said “lets go run guys.” Ever since then the “Flame of Hope” has traveled thru the roughest streets of LA. I am sure this is true across the country because Special Olympics and LETR know no boundaries, our athletes come from every race, social and econimic background imaginable. That is what Special Olympics is all about giving each athlete the same oppurtunities no matter who they are or where the come from but equality.... That is what Mrs. Shriver wanted and hoped for with Special Olympics....

From Freemont we traveled to Blair, Nebraska. Blair showed the support very similar to Freemont and West Point, the town was out cheering the runners on as we ran by. Majority of the towns that we wil visit now until late Thursday or early Friday will be prodiminatly farming communities. The support is there for the Runners and the athletes just most of the residents are working their farms just outside of town or in a local buisness. We were greated with a warm welcome at the St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church. We were greated by several local Special Olympics Athletes and even had a young man who is an athlete join us and run. We ran a total of 5.5 miles today in 95+ tempatures. This was a light running day but with the heat to come later this week we will be thankful..