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Georgia games keep special athletes on Kiwanis’ mind

What began 24 years ago as an agreement to buy T-shirts for athletes turned into a long-term commitment from the Kiwanis Club of Douglas County, Douglasville, Georgia, to help stage Special Olympics events.

“We invited a guest speaker to our club to talk about the Special Olympics,” recalls Kiwanian John Stone, who has served as official emcee of the event the past 20 years. “They were looking for some club or person to buy the T-shirts for the participating youth. Our club agreed to buy the T-shirts, plus go to the event and help out.”

Upon arrival, John notes, the Kiwanians were taken aback: Besides the special education teachers who were there to run the events, the Kiwanians were the only volunteers.

“This moved our club to become a major supporter of the event,” John says. “From then on, we have been at all the Special Olympics—and bought the T-shirts.”

A Douglas County School special education teacher plans most of the event, John says. The school system provides transportation to the venue—generally Lithia Springs High School—for competitors. Kiwanians arrange for local leaders to be in attendance, and they obtain food and drink for the volunteer tent. Key Club members join Kiwanians at the event.

Actually, the games only need about a half dozen volunteers, but John says about a dozen of his fellow Kiwanians and as many as 30 to 40 Key Clubbers usually show up.

The competition typically draws more than 300 participants, as well as numerous guests, family members, and caregivers. Events vary from year to year. This past March, athletes participated in the softball throw, 50-yard dash, long jump, and a variety of wheelchair events, including a race, beanbag toss, and ring toss.

“Our club believes this to be a great event that serves the youth in our area,” John says. “All the competitors are winners, plus they have a day in which they are the highlight and main event. It brings us joy to see these individuals have such a great day.”