SOMBA K’E/YELLOWKNIFE
The third annual Yellowknife Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) trucker Convoy for a Cause rolled through downtown Yellowknife last weekend. The event was in support of Special Olympics NWT.

Yellowknife's Weatherby Trucking Ltd. led the Law Enforcement Torch Relay trucker convoy through downtown Yellowknife last weekend. The transportation industry helped raise close to $10,000 for Yellowknife-based NWT Special Olympics. - Walter Strong/NNSL photo

Proving that trucking and transportation are more than just bedrock Yellowknife commercial industries, volunteers and donors raised over $9,200 by the time the convoy rolled into the Multiplex Fieldhouse parking lot, with more still to be tallied.

The Special Olympics NWT Yellowknife affiliate chapter -- the only one in the NWT -- lists 45 athletes. Local law enforcement agencies have played a big part in supporting the local chapter since getting involved several years ago.

“The law enforcement torch run has allowed them to expand their programs and open them up to more participants,” said LETR director RCMP corp. Roxanne Hudym.

“When we first started with this in 2006, they had 12 athletes, and only had the capacity to work with athletes 18 years and older.

Because of the money we’ve brought into the program, they’ve been able to hire an employee, train more coaches and expand into other venues. They’ve (also) opened up the program to athletes of all ages.”

Several local agencies are involved in LETR: municipal enforcement, the Yellowknife fire department, RCMP, Citizen and Immigration Canada, Environment Canada, GNWT environment and natural resources, the Canadian Forces Military Police, the Commissionaires, Probation Services, and the Department of Justice legal division.

Without the truckers, it wouldn’t have been much of a convoy. More than two dozen drivers, rigs and trucking businesses were involved.

Two awards were presented, both going to Yellowknife’s Weatherby Trucking Ltd. The company was the largest fundraisier on the day, raising $5755. Blaire Weatherby, of Weatherby Trucking, was to the top fundraising individual driver.