With over 300 participating students from schools across the county, the Columbia County School District hosted a special olympics event, which encouraged hundreds of families to enjoy a sunny morning outdoors on March 24.
Taking the time to celebrate and acknowledge their special athletes, many staff and student volunteers talked of the inspiration and happiness the event inspired.
Participants were split into various groups based on age and physical ability. Competitions and sports included: target toss, bat for distance, kick for distance, bocce ball, sling pin, slam dunk, 50 and 100 meter, running and standing long jump, javelin throw and softball throw.
Crystal Strickland, an adaptive physical education teacher and competition organizer, said the annual Special Olympics allowed athletes to be acknowledged by families and other peers.
“It just gives them an opportunity to be together as a group in our county as they compete against each other,” she said. “Sometimes it’s difficult for our students to be in a crowd; so today’s social parts are really good for them too.”
After taking time throughout the year to train for competition at local places, like the YMCA’s adaptive “Katie’s Pool,” and push themselves physically, Strickland said the gathering of special athletes also allows for many of the students to see old friends, make new ones and interact outside of the classroom.
“There’s going to be a smile on all these kids’ faces when they leave here today, and they are all going to be really tired – so that’s a good thing too,” she said.
Devon Dunn, student at Lakeside High School and special athlete on the Varsity basketball and soccer team, said he has really enjoyed competing and training for two years, because it is one of his very favorite things to do.
“Special Olympics is the very best thing to do,” he said. “I’ve been training hard at soccer kick and 50 meter – they are the best … It feels amazing. I had a great time.”
Amy Lenz, mother of special athlete Chloe Lenz, said special olympics gave her daughter the chance to partake in a family tradition for the very first time.
“She is just having fun and doing her own thing. I think her favorite part was doing the pledge, because her younger sister, who’s 12, very often does the national anthem around town … and I’ve sung it over at the GreenJackets’ game,” she said. “So, she was so excited to be a part of that … just on her own up there – saying every single word.”
Initially being born a completely healthy child, Lenz said her daughter suffered from heavy metals poisoning due to poor living conditions at military housing in Arizona. At age 5, Lenz said her child’s health took a turn for the worse.
“So Chloe went from being a normal, happy toddler to having a stroke-like progression where even the most basic tasks became incredibly difficult. We had a period where we were going to therapy 30 hours a week just to get basic day-to-day survival skills,” she said.
Now 14 years old, Lenz said it has been a long journey to where her daughter is today, and it has yielded results that were not believed to be possible.
“To be able to see the amazing progress she’s made where she can be in front of everybody, and give the Pledge of Allegiance is just remarkable,” she said. “It’s just a huge thank you to all of the therapists and all the teachers. It was just a huge, village-like effort, and we feel that the community here has embraced us. We’re so appreciative of being able to see everyone cheer her on.”
Sophomore student and first-time volunteer Eduardo Aguirre said he decided to get involved with Special Olympics because of his mother’s work as a paraprofessional. Being matched with Joey Flemming, Aguirre said he believes their friendship to be something akin to brotherhood.
“Out of nowhere he just kind of had a liking towards me over a lot of other people,” he said. “To see him be able to walk, run and listen better than at the start of the year is amazing. He’s grown so much.”
Impressing both peers and teachers, Aguirre said Flemming has blown expectations out of the water, and triumphed despite others’ negative outlook.
“A lot of people said that [Flemming] would never be able to run around and be like everyone else in our class, but he’s been able to do everything,” he said. “It’s amazing and it warms my heart so much … it makes me almost cry at times.”
Aguirre also said helping Flemming has caused him to gain confidence in his own ability to make a difference in the world – or at least a major difference to just one person.
“It makes me feel like I’ve helped someone that a lot of people have said couldn’t get help. His dad said that [Flemming] would never hug anybody, and about a week after that [Flemming] gave me a hug … his dad said he cries whenever he gets pictures of [Flemming] and me hugging, or doing other stuff,” he said. “The hug is what made me really start feeling more confident in myself, because it made me realize that I can help other people with their own problems.”
Knowing friends who struggle with their mental health and at times contemplate self-harm, Aquirre said aiding Flemming in accepting human connection and physical touch has shown him that he has the power to help peers, even if it is just by listening and encouraging them.
For those others who might have interest in volunteering, but might be hesitant due to a lack of experience, Aguirre said that he suggests others overcome their own fear in order to make a larger difference to someone else in need.
“If you really believe you can help them, then do anything you can to get over your own obstacles to get to them, so that you can help them overcome theirs,” he said.
Liz Wright is a staff writer covering education, lifestyle and general assignments for The Augusta Press. Reach her at liz@theaugustapress.com
