By Kimberly Gasuras
CCN Reporter
BUCYRUS — A small crowd formed at Kroger in Bucyrus to welcome runners in the 2018 Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics on Thursday afternoon.
Bucyrus Police Chief Dave Koepke participated in the run that began at the Bucyrus Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Bucyrus City Hall.
“It is an honor to participate, and it’s for a good cause,” Koepke said. “And we are participating in memory of Joy Tarbert.
Joy, who hosted the WBCO radio show, “Joy in the Morning,” was one of the founders of the Special Olympics in Ohio and passed away in 2014.
“This is the 50th year of the Special Olympics in Ohio. My mom, along with Jimmy Crum and Larry Johnson, worked to bring the Special Olympics to Ohio. She was involved because of my brother, Mike,” said Penny Tarbert, Joy’s daughter.
Penny said 300 kids participated at the very first Special Olympics in 1968 at the Horseshoe in Ohio Stadium at the Ohio State University in Columbus.
“The kids were from 85 of the 88 counties in Ohio. Three counties did not participate that first year,” Penny said. “The opening ceremony was just like the one of the real Olympics.”
Penny said her brother, Mike, ran the 40-yard dash.
“Our mom had hooked him up with some boys from the high school to be trained so he was ready. He ran fast and was in the lead when he got to the ribbon across the finish line. He stopped because he had always been taught not to break anything,” said Penny with a smile. “They put the ribbon down and he crossed the finish line and won.”
Penny said the event has grown over the years.
“Those first years, it was just track and field. Now they have golfing, swimming and much more,” Penny said.
Penny said the level of the participants has also changed over the years.
“Back in the 1960’s and 1970’s, there was no education or medication like they have now,” Penny said “People are a lot more able to participate today.”
Jim Plasencia was a friend to Mike Tarbert, who died just a few months after his mom in 2014.
“I liked Mikey, he was my friend and I miss him,” Plasencia said.
Plasencia said there are no participants in the Special Olympics this year from Crawford County.
“Our team is the Waycraft Chargers,” Plasencia said. “We did not have the money to go to the Special Olympics this year or last year.”
Donations may be sent to Waycraft, Inc., 118 River St., Bucyrus, for members of the team to make the trip to the Special Olympics next year.