By: Emily Brosius
Ouachita Baptist University will host the 2016 Special Olympics on Thursday, February 4. Over 250 special needs athletes will be participating in a Special Olympics Basketball Tournament and Individual Skills Competitions. This event will be held in the Vining Arena of SPEC from 10 a.m. to noon. Activities will include the opening ceremonies and a pep rally at 10 a.m., followed by games and individual skills competitions.
Volunteers are encouraged to assist as long as their class schedule permits. Volunteers will assist in clapping, giving hugs, smiles, cheering, doing the wave, jump rope, flapping a parachute, hula-hoop and passing/shooting.
Special Olympics is said to be a “win-win” for all. Helping the kids achieve their goals is a service opportunity that can be qualified as service hours.
“In 2003, I volunteered my Adapted Physical Education Methods class to sponsor Special Olympics basketball. I know of no better way to learn about a person with a disability than to get involved,” said Dr. Mike Reynolds, associate professor in the department of kinesiology and leisure studies.
Other OBU classes have volunteered, including the Teaching Exceptional Learners and Athletic Training courses.
“The program meets the goals set forth by the university’s Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community, which is dedicated to creating and fostering an environment of service on the campus and in the community,” Reynolds said.
People with disabilities, ages 8 to adult, are invited to participate in the event. Schools represented include the Alexander Human Development Center, the Alternative Learning Center in Benton, the Arkadelphia Human Development Center, Peake and Goza schools in Arkadelphia, Fountain Lake middle and high schools, Bauxite schools, Benton Civitan Center, Benton junior and high schools and Bismark elementary schools.
Also, Salem Elementary, Collegeville Elementary and Bryant elementary schools will participate, as well as Bryant middle and high schools. Others include first step in Hot Springs, Glen Rose and Jessieville schools, Lakeside middle and high schools, Langston Aerospace and Environmental Magnet School in Hot Springs, Harmony Grove in Haskell and Centerpoint schools.
While the basketball games are an OBU sponsored event, students from Henderson State University have volunteered to help.
Katie Colford, a senior at Ouachita, has been involved with Special Olympics since she was 11 years old.
From those experiences she was inspired to volunteer in other special needs programs and has even desired to strive for a career as an occupational therapist.
“My biggest involvement with Special Olympics has been Sports Camp in the summers. I have grown to be best friends with the athletes because I got involved at such a young age. Over the years their awesome attitudes have inspired me,” Colford said.
In addition to volunteering with Special Olympics, Katie has volunteered with Summer Games, fundraisers like Polar Plunge, OBU Area 10 Basketball and the State Youth Activation Committee.
“I would encourage anyone to get involved, especially with OBU Area 10 Basketball and the Polar Plunge which are coming up this month. The events bring so much joy to both the athletes and the volunteers are truly life changing,” Colford said.
For more information about Special Olympics or to find out how to volunteer on Thursday, contact Dr. Mike Reynolds at reynoldsm@ OBU.edu.
