5K Pig Run aids Special Olympics

The Birmingham Police Department will present the annual Alabama Law Enforcement 5K Pig Run — known formally as the Alabama Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Alabama — at Linn Park on Saturday, June 18, from 7-11 a.m.

All proceeds from the Pig Run, now in its 18th year, will go to Special Olympics Alabama, according to Officer Tim Gardiner, the event’s organizer. “The money we raise supports our local athletes and allows them to compete on the state, national and international level,” he said.

Gardiner said the work he does to support the Pig Run and Special Olympics Alabama is the “most rewarding experience” he’s had in nearly eight years with the Birmingham Police Department. “There is no greater feeling than knowing you are directly responsible for giving our athletes the opportunity to represent their communities,” he said.

Working to help support the Special Olympics is “personal” for many Torch Run volunteers, according to Gardiner. “Many of us have family members that are Special Olympics athletes or in some way have been touched by someone with special needs,” he said.

Being involved in the fundraiser is also a lot of fun for police personnel, according to Gardiner. “Most of the participants have been involved for multiple years and some even continue after they leave the department,” he said in an email to Iron City Ink.

The event recently began rotating between Birmingham and Homewood, allowing participants to run different routes, according to Gardiner. 

Gardiner has a lofty goal for the Pig Run the next couple of years — “to make it one of the most sought-after 5K runs in the metro area,” he said.

Registration is $20 in advance at eventbrite.com. Registration the day of the event will be $25.

For more information, contact Gardiner at 790-3596 or timothy.gardiner@birminghamal.gov.