Wednesday, January 4, 2017
www.thewhig.com
A staff sergeant with Kingston Police will be representing all law enforcement officers in Ontario this March when he takes part in a run through the countryside of Austria prior to that country hosting the Special Olympics World Winter Games.
Jody Armstrong, who has been involved in Special Olympics events for people with intellectual difficulties here in Kingston for years, will be joining seven other law enforcement officers chosen from across Canada for the run, which will take them through 49 of Austria’s towns and villages before they arrive at a stadium in Schladming for the start of the winter games.
“It is kind of a big honour,” said Armstrong, who has been been with Kingston Police for the past 27 years.
The Special Olympics was picked as the charity of choice by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, and Armstrong’s involvement grew with each passing year.
“I do what I do because I enjoy it,” he said.
As he got to know the special athletes better, he and the other officers taking part in the various events would always be greeted with hugs, open arms and high fives.
“That is what hooked me into getting more involved,” he said. “That partnership between the athletes and law enforcement officers is just amazing. It puts our lives in perspective when you look at how they are happy to participate. The heart they have to do what they do is simply amazing. I learn more from them, probably, than they learn from me. I am probably going to stay involved after retirement as well because that’s the kind of relationship that grows.”
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