This week has designated by the province of Manitoba as Special Olympics Week and Local RCMP organized a torch run here in Steinbach on Wednesday.

Community Constable Dennis Redikop says about 70 runners took off from Southwood School at 1pm, went up Brandt Street, turned onto Main Street then down Reimer up to City Hall where Mayor Chris Goertzen was there to greet them.

"We have Southwood Elementary School involved," notes Community Constable Redikop. "We have the local Steinbach RCMP detachment involved, we have some Special Olympics athletes from Winnipeg and from Steinbach as well."

Redikop adds other torch runs like these are being organized all across the province this week.

"It's actually happening across Manitoba and the last couple days the torch run took place in Morden and Portage. All across Manitoba pretty much."

 Redikop says the goal of the two-kilometre run was simply to raise awareness for Special Olympics and to acknowledge the hard work the athletes put into their sports.