The Woodlands Kiwanis Club hosts 33rd annual Special Olympics

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Woodlands Kiwanis Club hosted the 33rd Annual Special Olympics on April 1st which featured over 300 athletes and more than 400 community volunteers. The Honorary Chair was Joe Welge from Culver’s who provided and grilled over 400 hamburgers on site for volunteers.

The Special Olympics Track and Field Event promotes life skills that help athletes succeed by enhancing self-esteem, promoting independence, and facilitating social competence. The goal of this annual event is to be a catalyst for changing perceptions and educating people about the potential for those with special needs.

The event was held at Oak Ridge High School’s athletic field. Teams from Montgomery County and surrounding areas came to compete. The day kicked off at 10:00 am with wheelchair events, followed by assisted walks. The rest of the day was filled with traditional track and field events.

“It’s really fun. It is something fun I like to do on a Saturday. The javelin is my favorite event because I am strong,” said Athlete Joshua Dupuis of the Conroe Stars who received a first place medal for his throw in the javelin.

The entire event would not be successful if it weren’t for the amazing support of the community sponsors and volunteers. Sponsors included Consolidated Communications, National Toilet Rental, Carol Knott RE/MAX Integrity, H-E-B, Crust Pizza, Bradbury Brothers, The Egg & I, Costco, Coca-Cola, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sam’s Club, Walmart and many more! Local restaurants donated food, beverages and snacks. Chick Fil-A provided the food for the athletes and H-E-B donated the water to keep them hydrated.

It takes a multitude of volunteers to ensure the success of this event. Many schools, organizations, congregations and community volunteers came out to help run track and field events, tally scores, serve food, walk athletes to get their medals, and most importantly cheer athletes on as they crossed the finish line.

“NCL Bluebonnets love to participate in the Special Olympics because we love cheering on the athletes and supporting our community,” said Anne Huber, NCL Bluebonnet Volunteer.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. The Woodlands Kiwanis Club meets every Thursday morning from 7:00-8:00 a.m., at The South County Community Center. For more information visit www.woodlandskiwanis.com.