Culver's Joe Welge made the Special Olympics Spring Games extra special

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- There’s more than one reason the 2014 Special Olympics Spring Games were special this year. What made the event so special was the extra effort on the part of Joe Welge, the owner of Culver’s of Conroe and The Woodlands, for the benefit of these special athletes.

The games were held April 25 and 26, at Conroe High School’s Buddy Moorhead Memorial Stadium for the first time in 25 years, hosted by the Heart of East Texas Area, who did their best to ensure that the event was run smoothly for the track and field, and tennis events.

“Things went well until it was time to provide lunch for all the athletes, parents, coaches, and volunteers,” said Rachelle Balwin, Area Director for the Special Olympics. “We were notified that the individual who was going to prepare the food on site, had an equipment malfunction.”

Teams from all over South Texas were participating, and in addition to approximately 300 athletes, the number of parents, coaches, and volunteers, totaled almost 700; a lot of lunches to leave in a lurch.

A call was made by Kathie Reyner, the City Secretary for Shenandoah, to Welge who has his own mobile grille equipment; a familiar contributor at the Kiwanis Special Olympic games. On short notice and during the peak of the lunch service, Welge was unable to get to his equipment and get it ‘stoked up.’

“I wasn’t going to be the reason all those Special Olympic athletes didn’t get to eat,” said Welge.

Welge drove up to his Conroe restaurant, put a plan in action, and prepared the food for the Spring Games attendees in tandem with preparing and serving food for the Culver’s Conroe lunch crowd. Volunteers made six round-trips, picking up the food as it was prepared, and delivering it to the games.

“It was our own version of ‘Meals on Wheels,’” said Baldwin.

Any athlete will stress the importance of fueling the body for optimum performance. The significance of having a great performance at the Spring Games was the difference of advancing to the next level of competition or staying home.

To express their appreciation for his effort, The Woodlands Warriors, the local team, met at Culvers in The Woodlands July 17, to present Welge with a certificate of appreciation, and a Special Olympics poster signed by the team members.

Welge’s exemplary organizational and leadership skills were honed during his 10-year tenure as the owner of Culver’s, and when serving as the President of the Greater Montgomery County Restaurant Association, in 2010. Welge still serves on its Board of Directors.

“Culver’s is a family-run business by the Culver family. We’re family-oriented,” said Welge. “It’s just what you do when families in the community have a need.”

It was this can-do attitude that made the Special Olympics Spring Games extra special.