Special Olympics Event Moving Indoors Due To Severe Weather Risk

Due to the risk of severe weather in the Dalton area on Thursday, the Special Olympics USA Games Torch Relay Run is being cancelled. Instead, the event is moving indoors at the Lakeshore Park soccer building. There will be a rally with Special Olympics athletes and local leaders.

At right: Dalton Police Chief Cliff Cason lights the Special Olympic flame at the 2019 Dalton/Whitfield Track and Field competition

The Special Olympics USA Games will be held next month in Orlando, Florida and Dalton is one of the last stops for the Special Olympics torch on its way from Illinois to Florida. The original plan called for a relay run from Dalton’s City Hall to Lakeshore Park, but due to the risk of storms in the area there will now only be the pep rally portion at the end of the event. The event is tentatively scheduled to being at 1:45 pm inside the Lakeshore Park soccer building. The public is encouraged to attend. Mayor David Pennington and city leaders are scheduled to speak at the event and athletes from the local Dalton delegation who are scheduled to compete at the USA games will be introduced.