(L-R) Korey Cleland, CPO at the Red Deer Remand Centre, and Cst. Victoria Rudiak with Drayton Valley RCMP in front of their homes for the next 53 hours atop scaffolding at the north Red Deer Walmart.

By Jordan Davidson (Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow)

Law Enforcement Torch Run Program

‘Free Our Finest’ underway in support of Special Olympics Alberta

Aug 27, 2021 | 12:42 PM

Mounties, corrections officers, and Special Olympic athletes are taking over the north Red Deer Walmart again this weekend, as part of their ‘Free Our Finest’ event to raise funds through the Law Enforcement Torch Run program for Special Olympics Alberta.

Participants will be living and sleeping atop scaffolding by the entrance to the store starting Friday until Sunday afternoon, for a total of 53 hours.

CPO Korey Cleland on top of the scaffolding encourages shoppers to donate.

Cst. Victoria Rudiak with Drayton Valley RCMP is participating this year, and says this is the first time in 2 years they’ve been able to host the event because of the pandemic. In past years they’ve managed to raise over $10,000, which Rudiak hopes to achieve again this year.

“Especially with COVID the past couple of years they haven’t been able to run as many programs and with limitations on fundraisers, we haven’t been able to get out to help. Special Olympics Alberta gets started up again in the fall and we really want to help support those athletes in everything they are doing.”

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Joining Rudiak on the scaffolding is Korey Cleland, a CPO at the Red Deer Remand Centre. Cleland spoke with rdnewsNOW at this event in 2019, and said how having a family member with Down syndrome is part of the reason he takes part in the ‘Free Our Finest’ event.

“I have a cousin whose child has Down syndrome, so I like to give back for that reason. Every year, I see the same athletes here and they tell me about their sports, medals, and places they’ve been because of events like this, so it’s awe inspiring,’ said Cleland.

This will be his fifth year camping out.

“I’ve learned it (intellectual disability) affects a lot more people than most think, and that even though you may have special needs, you can still be a contributing member to society.”

Funds raised from this event help Alberta Special Olympics athletes train, participate in, and travel to and from events. Without fundraisers like these, officials note many of those athletes would be unable to compete.

You can donate to the ‘Free Our Finest’ event by visiting soa.crowdchange.ca/1986.

Related: Law enforcement camping out to raise funds for Special Olympics.

Donating to “Free Our Finest” is being made simple, thanks to the peace officers, CPO’s and Sherrifs who are helping out.