Carleton to Host Annual Special Olympics Event

On Saturday, May 17 Carleton will host the annual Area 10 Special Olympics track and field tournament, the qualifying event for the statewide State Games to be held in June. Adults and children with intellectual and physical disabilities from nine Special Olympics delegations in southeastern Minnesota will come together for this exciting, all-day event, which begins at 9 a.m. in Laird Stadium, located along Highway 19 on the campus.

Kicking off the games will be a special rendition of the national anthem, followed by the traditional torch run and Olympic oath, with opening ceremony appearances by Pastor Will Healy of Emmaus Baptist Church, the Laura Baker Choir, and Lindy CO, the joint swing dance performance groups Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges.

Athletes will participate in a number of events throughout the day, including short and long distance running, long jump, discus, and softball throw. In preparation for the event, athletes have been practicing two times per week with volunteers from Carleton’s Acting in the Community Together (ACT) office, St. Olaf’s Volunteer Network, and the Northfield community. Volunteers from the Northfield Target store and the Cannon Valley Rotaract, as well as from other delegations, will join in to organize, cheer, and assist with recording scores. During the closing ceremony, ribbons will go to all competitors for their hard work and achievements made that day.

Both the athletes and volunteers love what they do with this event. An athlete who competes in the 800-meter run explains that he likes “the whole thing, just being with people.” Always encouraging each other, teammates create a supportive atmosphere, so that everyone enjoys the experience and improves. As she watches a fellow teammate run 400 meters, an athlete exclaims, “Wow! Look at her go! Maybe this is a good event for her. She really made it all the way!” Many have been competing in the Special Olympics for years, often in several different sports, including track, basketball, swimming, and bowling.

One of Carleton’s Special Olympics program directors, Shannon Carcelli ’08 (Ogden, Utah), says that “the Special Olympics is an entire institution completely devoted to making people happy. As soon as the events start, people all around are excited and celebrating and appreciating what they have earned and what they have been given, and the joy is contagious.”

This year, Area 10 participants hail from the Faribault, Filmore County, Freeborn County/ARC Sports, Goodhue Public Schools, Mower County, Owatonna , Red Wing Public Schools, Rochester, and Northfield. This regional competition will be followed by the statewide Summer Games in June, which will include all twelve areas of Special Olympics Minnesota.