How should Special Olympics phrase this?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I attend the Oklahoma statewide Special Olympics games every year as a volunteer. Just like the other Olympics, they have a flame that is meant to inspire the participants and the spectators. The flame is called the “Flame of Hope.” At the end of the games, the announcer always says (at least as long as I can remember), “Now it is time to extinguish the Flame of Hope.” A brief video is here. Extinguishing the flame of hope - YouTube

There has to be a better way to phrase this. What would you suggest?

2

“We will now extinguish this symbol of hope, grateful that these games served to refresh and rekindle the hope in our own hearts”

Or something.

3

Even as the flame is extinguished, we will now go forward carrying this hope in our hearts.

You’re right that if I heard the announcement as it currently is, I would be snickering over extinguishing the flame of hope. NO MORE HOPE FOR YOU.

4

Yeah, just say, we are extinguishing the flame. Don’t say Flame of Hope in the extinguishing part.

5

Do like the Olympics.
“I declare the 2016 Oklahoma State Special Olympic Games closed.” as the flame is extinguished.

6

Agreed. Why are they mentioning the flame being extinguished anyway?

Alternative: “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here”

7

Don’t even mention the flame. Leave it lit until everyone leaves, then have the custodian put it out before he locks up.

8

“Abandon hope all ye who exit here.”

9

If you really must maintain the tradition and the original phrasing, (with its negative sound) how about adding to it a few extra words, to create an upbeat, positive attitude:
“As these games end, we now extinguish the flame–until we meet again at next year’s Olympics, when we will re-light the Flame of Hope to shine brightly for us all.”

10

Go for the mic-drop effect.

“Hope, out!” (extinguish)

11

How about something along the lines of:

"As we extinguish the Flame of Hope, let it have kindled hope within our hearts. Let us carry that flame wherever we may go and in whatever we may do, and by doing so, live by the spirit of the games, blah blah blah… "

Or something like
“As we extinguish this Flame of Hope, let us all take away our own Flames of Hope within our hearts, and keep the spirit of the games alive wherever we may go, and in whatever we may do… et cetera, ad nauseam.”

That way, it’s not putting out hope, or extinguishing it entirely- it’s merely shutting THAT one serving as an visible outward sign of the spirit and inspiration, and saying that we go forward with our own flames.