Games coordinators Mary Gregory and Jim Malloni n front of the events planning board.

Games coordinators Mary Gregory and Jim Malloni n front of the events planning board.

By Art Hunter
Editor

The Ohio Police and Fire Games will be held in Clermont County from June 8 – 13, 2014.

Clermont County Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg participated in the 2013 games in Oberlin, and after learning that organizers were looking for the next location, volunteered to host the 2014 games.

The event is being coordinated by Chief Administrative Officer Jim Malloni and executive secretary Mary Gregory, who have been working on the event for the past six months.

Malloni said that they are expecting to have between 800 and 1,000 participants in the 34 scheduled events.

The events to be held range from weight lifting and running to darts and bowling.

Most of the events will be held in Clermont County, at venues such East Fork State Park, several local golf courses, and local high schools. The county does not have facilities for certain events such as motocross, which will be held elsewhere.

The purpose of the games, which have been held since 1978, is to support the physical and mental fitness of Ohio’s first responders. The games are held in a different location in Ohio the second week of June and are open to current and retired law enforcement, fire, and military personnel and their spouses.

Malloni said that participants do not have to be from Ohio. He said that there are regular participants from as far away as California and Canada, and that the coordinator for the 2014 darts competition is from West Virginia.

“We’ve actually had two individuals from out of the country inquire about participating,” Malloni said. “One person from Australia has contacted us, and a gentleman from England just called today to make sure he would be able to participate.”

More information about the games is available at www.theohiopoliceandfiregames.com.