The Special Olympics held a Plane Pull fundraiser on Sept. 12, bringing together teams of volunteers to pull a 62-ton UPS Boeing 757 cargo jet across a 12-foot distance as quickly as possible.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run Plane Pull is one of Special Olympics Southern California’s largest events of the year which includes multiple groups of around 25 people competing for the fastest time.
This fundraiser helps provide free sports programs and services to Special Olympics Southern California athletes. This year they raised $267,057 of their $275,000 goal.
“By raising these funds, they don’t pay a dime for any of the sports programs, the health program, therapies, all those things that normally the parents would have to shoulder,” Plane Pull Chairperson Ryan Watson said.
Watson, an LBCC alumnus and former Long Beach Police Department, said he had no idea how much he would come to love and cherish the community that Special Olympics Southern California would show him and others.
“When I was with the Long Beach police department I was told to come and help out with the Special Olympics,” Watson said. “When I came out and was part of it and saw the camaraderie and the partnership between the law enforcement and the individuals with special needs and the community, I was hooked!”
Team Gensler gets into position for one out of their two attempts to pull a UPS Boeing 757 plane during the Special Olympics Southern California Plane Pull event on Sept. 12. LBCC alumni, Ryan Watson, gets the crowd hyped up on the microphone as they begin. The overall event was a charity event for the benefit of Special Olympic athletes. (Sophia King)
Sasha Cruz, Global Messenger for Special Olympics Southern California participated in several rounds of the Plane Pull many of which were back-to-back with no breaks. Each round consisted of two attempts to record a faster time.
For Cruz, the feeling of getting movement of the plane and just seeing the smiles of the faces of the athletes made the effort worthwhile.
“I mean it feels amazing,” Cruz said. “We are doing this for a cause, and for me and the athletes, it is pretty strong when you start pulling you start feeling like okay wait now you get the gist of it but it’s a pretty cool and amazing opportunity for me.”
“At the end of the day it’s all about having fun and coming out here for some great times.” Cruz said.
Valeri Wagner, the mother of a Special Olympics Southern California athlete, came to watch her son take part once again in the annual tradition with one of the LAPD teams.
“The energy is always positive. It’s really a good event and the atmosphere is one of teamwork,” Wagner said. “It takes a lot for them to pull that plane.”
A smaller plane provided by California Highway Patrol was available for those who might want to warm up before pulling the real thing, and for the younger children who also want to take part in their own Plane Pull.
In the end the fastest time of the day went to the California Highway Patrol Southern Division team with a speedy 5.8 seconds to get across the 12-foot distance.
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