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Camden uses crutches to make it over the International Bridge (14 photos)

The 31st International Bridge Walk and Parade was held in conjunction with the Ontario Law Enforcement Torch Run on Saturday

Camden McLeod, 7, hobbled over the International Bridge on one leg and two crutches.

He was among an estimated 1,500 people at the 31st International Bridge Walk and Bicycle Parade Saturday morning.

McLeod had hurt his leg playing in his T-Ball league at Strathclair Park on Wednesday.

His team, Lime Green, was playing Grey and, during warm-ups, he tried to catch a ball in the outfield and fell.

He never told anyone he hurt his ankle and just played through the whole game.

Afterwards he told his mom about it and they got x-ray’s done at the hospital.

They’ll find out in the coming days if it’s broken.

“It hurt a lot,” said Camden. “I was like… I just can’t take it anymore.”

Camden goes to St. Francis French Immersion Catholic School and he got all his friends there to sign his cast.

He enjoyed the bridge walk last year and nothing was going to stop him from participating again.

“It’s a little hard to walk around in crutches. I’m real worried (but) that’s why we have the wagon,” said Camden whose parents, by the end of the event were towing him in a red wagon covered in Canada flags and a ‘Moose Crossing’ sign.

Because the event landed so close to the sesquicentennial, organizers tried to play up the Canada-angle this year said Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce communications officer Don Ferguson.

Canadian symbols dominated the visual landscape of the bridge as walkers paraded with red and white flags, hats, shirts, and other paraphernalia.

The bridge was temporarily closed to through traffic while the walk was on.

When the bridge walk started, at 9:30 a.m., around 60 runners with the Ontario Law Enforcement Torch Run took off and led the event.

2017 was the first year that the torch took place at the same time as the bridge walk.

Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Const. Shaun Beaulieu said that in the last 12 months the organization across the province, raised 1.7 million dollars for Special Olympics Ontario.

Local law enforcement officers — including Ontario Provincial Police, city police, and corrections officers — typically raise anywhere from $50,000 to $60,000.

These funds are raised by several charity events throughout the years including the ‘LETRideSuperior’ motorcycle ride, the Polar Plunge, and by hosting the annual NHL Alumni Game.

This year local special Olympian Jeffrey Luck stepped up and acted as the main torch bearer for the event.

Beaulieu said that starting in July of this year, all funds raised in are to stay in local because in 2019 Sault Ste. Marie is set to host the Special Olympic Ontario Provincial Winter Games.

 


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Jeff Klassen

About the Author: Jeff Klassen

Jeff Klassen is a SooToday staff reporter who is always looking for an interesting story
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