On Sept. 26, teams will compete to pull a full-size aircraft across the tarmac at Holman Aviation in Great Falls — all in the name of Special Olympics Montana.
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For Lt. Zach Semenza of the Cascade County Sheriff's Office — the man behind the event — the cause is deeply personal.
"For me, my brother's a Special Olympics athlete, so I just grew up, you know, as a small child with him being in Special Olympics," Semenza said.
That lifelong connection has shaped how Semenza sees the athletes he now works alongside every year — and why he keeps showing up to events like the Polar Plunge and the Plane Pull.
"There's several athletes that I consider some of my good friends. They're just phenomenal human beings. And seeing the smile that not only Special Olympics brings, but just being around them — they're always happy," Semenza said.
Amy Bliss, Senior Director of Special Olympics Montana, says the event is as fun as it is meaningful.
"It's just a really fun event, team building-challenge, where teams of eight and a few Special Olympics athletes get to raise a $500 fundraising minimum and see who can pull an airplane the fastest," Bliss said.
The plane pull is one of the Law Enforcement Torch Run's signature fundraisers — a worldwide movement that originated in Virginia. Organizers say it has grown into something far bigger than a competition.
"For officers, they say it brings positivity to their challenging jobs in the community, being first responders," Bliss said.
The 2026 Law Enforcement Torch Run Plane Pull takes place September 26th at Holman Aviation in Great Falls. Registration opens at 10:30 a.m., and the pull begins at noon. Teams must raise at least $500 to compete.
