Alexis Mobley
It’s that time of year for pumpkin lattes, fallen leaves, Halloween and Special Olympics. Yes, the Special Olympics comes back to Mount for its yearly competition.
Special Olympics is an international sports competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities. This year, the competition took place on Saturday, October 18, at the ARCC. The event kicks off with an opening ceremony, welcoming all of the athletes, their coaches, and volunteers. Afterward, everyone breaks off to their sports for a statewide competition Featuring Tennis, Long-Distance Running, Flag Football, and Powerlifting. Every event ends with an award ceremony, where the athletes receive their medals from their competitions.
I had the pleasure of interviewing a volunteer at the competition this year. Lisa Bortnick has been volunteering for more than 30 years. She said that she started as a ski coach for Anne Arundel County. Eventually becoming a member of the Games Management Team (GMT) as a volunteer, “The GMT team organizes and puts together all the events including the Fall Festival at Mount St. Mary’s.” Bortnick explained.
“It is very rewarding and you grow to know all the athletes you are there to support.”
This year’s event at Mount St Mary’s was great. Bortnick explains when asked about this year's competition. “All the volunteer support from the students made it a very successful day. As a volunteer who has been doing it for decades, it is always nice to see college students volunteering, and I hope they will still be doing it decades later, like me!”
Bortnick said that her volunteering is a great experience and encourages others to volunteer so that they and the athletes competing can have the opportunity. “I know from experience that volunteering with a group of people who support each other and help others is very rewarding. The more volunteers Special Olympics has, the more athletes they can participate. If there are not enough volunteers the number of people who can participate in each sport is lower and capped. Coaches are volunteering their time as well, so the more volunteers the larger the program can grow.”
Comments