For Auburn residents looking for a good cause to volunteer for, Lee County Special Olympics offers a unique and rewarding experience. “Many people find that once they volunteer, they get hooked,” said Alison Hall, director of Lee County Special Olympics. Volunteers for Special Olympics give athletes an opportunity to interact with new people, an experience that can be life changing for both athletes and volunteers. “People often make the mistake of thinking that if they miss coaches training then they can’t help out for the rest of the year,” said Hall. “We want you to come even if you can only come once.” For volunteers to become coaches, they must go through a general orientation and then sports specific training put on by the Alabama Special Olympics. Lee County Special Olympics recently hosted track and field coaches training at Opelika High School. Although coaches must go through specific training, anyone can volunteer at any time to help out. All volunteers must do is come to a practice or event at their convenience. Lee County Special Olympics is currently practicing bowling on Mondays at 1 p.m., track and field on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., swimming on Wednesdays at 4 p.m., gymnastics on Wednesdays at 5 p.m., and golf. Starting April 1, basketball practices will begin on Thursdays at 4 p.m. Locations of practices can be found at the Auburn Parks and Recreation Therapeutics website at www.auburnalabama.org/specialolympics. Several events are also being planned for March and April, including: • • • •
Regional swim meet on March 5 at Opelika Sports Plex Countywide bowling tournament on March 12 at Auburn Lanes Countywide track and field meet on April 8 at Opelika High School Sectionals for gymnastics on April 9 at Premier Athletics
The Special Olympics are open for anyone 8 years of age and older and must have current medical records and a medical waiver signed by a doctor. Special Olympics athletes are generally recruited from schools in Lee County or group homes. There are currently between 150 and 175 active athletes in Lee County. Athletes competing locally are eligible to qualify for state games, which will be held in May 2010. Winners of state games go to nationals, which will be hosted in Lincoln, Neb. at the University of Nebraska in 2010. Winners of state games can qualify to go to the world games, held every four years in the same location as the Olympics.