A lot of things make the Special Olympics special. The young athletes work hard to prepare for their competition and believe me, when the big day arrives they give it all they’ve got. They may not obsess about winning as much as athletes at other levels, but they truly care about doing their best. That’s what athletic competition is about. The parents and other family members get to cheer, clap, laugh, hug and be extra proud on this day. And the kids thrive off the cheering of the audience. It creates a kind of synergy. On one recent day in Roanoke, the games were made sweeter by the addition of an entire high school student body.
In this terrific article from The Roanoke Times, writer Beth Macy describes Special Olympians being met at their bus by the High School football team. The youngsters were able to run the gauntlet high-fiving players all along the way. According to the school principal, more than half of the school’s 1000 students served as volunteers.
Here’s a virtual high-five to the students at Northside High School for understanding the importance of volunteering to serve others.
