community events By Melissa Klatt
NORTH CANTON JAYCEES + SPECIAL OLYMPICS The Partnership Standing the Test of Time
Beginning their partnership in the ‘70s, the North Canton Jaycees started working with the Special Olympics to put on a wonderful event for special needs athletes each year! Since their work together began, their organizations’ similar missions and values have made them the partnership that stands the test of time. Fast forward to 2022, the North Canton Jaycees and Special Olympics Ohio celebrated on May 28 as they were finally able to hold their invitational event after a two-year break! Joining Forces to Empower Individuals The North Canton Jaycees and Special Olympics Ohio are both organizations made to empower individuals. With their values and missions in tune, they’re able to put together a wonderful event each year for the special needs community. Working tirelessly behind the scenes, the North Canton Jaycees pull everything together to ensure the event runs flawlessly. They take the initiative to reach out to the community, gathering donations for everything needed for the event, from the location, food, and even the medals given to participants!
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August 2022
North Canton Jaycees and Special Olympics Ohio Reunite for Invitational On May 28, 2022, the North Canton Jaycees and Special Olympics Ohio reunited for the first time in two years at the invitational. Though there were restrictions on the number of participants, athletes from Stark County, Stark Public, Carroll County, and Tuscarawas County joined the festivities to do what they love! • The following competitions took place for athletes: • Long Lump • Shot Put • Mini Javelin • Bocce • 25M, 50M, and 100M walk/runs • 200M run • And the 4x100M Athletes were staggered, so while male athletes were competing on the track, female athletes were competing in field events, and vice versa. Impacting Everyone at the Special Olympics Invitational Though the Special Olympics Invitational is a wonderful event empowering all participating athletes, it’s also so heartwarming to hear the stories some of the Jaycees share about the event’s impact on themselves: “At my first Special Olympics event, an athlete crossed the finish line and gave me a big hug. When I told her
that she did great, she jumped up and down cheering, ‘I did good!’” “Six months later, I was at a Special Olympics bowling event and heard the same girl yell across the bowling alley, ‘David, I did great, I did great!’ She remembered my name from my rain-soaked name tag. Never have I had such an impact as to be so remembered like that. My heart melted, and the Special Olympics had me hook, line, and sinker.”
