Page 8C
April 3, 2019
Le
By Diane Glldewell
news@mymcr.nef
On Friday morning,
March 29 about 150 young
athletes, nearly 75 volunteers
and lots of proud family
members and other fans
converged on the track at
the Mary Persons campus
for the annual Monroe
County Schools Special
Olympics. The weather
was perfect throughout the
event--bright sunshine and
neither too hot nor too cold.
It held from the time stu-
dents from T.G. Scott, Hub-
bard, K.B. Sutton Elemen-
tary and Monroe County
Middle School emerged
from their buses and headed
for the
trackto
join the
Mary
Persons
students
and
graduates
who were
Gem -
pefing
until they
headed
back to
the buses,
tired and
decorated with 1st, 2nd and
3rd place ribbons.
Annie Dyke took over du-
ties as coordinator for Mon-
roe County Schools Special
Olympics this year. She is a
teacher at Monroe County
Middle School and advisor
to the MCMS Best Buddies
Club. Dyke acknowledged
there is a lot ofwork and
time involved in pulling all
of the elements of Special
Olympics together to make
the event happen and that
her husband told her he will
be glad to see her again after
the event takes place.
"It definitely worth it," she
said as she looked around at
some of the smiles coming
from students, teachers and
volunteers.
There were new signs for
each of the school tents this
year that provided shade
and resting places for stu-
dents with their friends from
each of the five schools,
plus a tent for graduates.
T-shirts this year were bright
red with selected designs
by an artist from each of
the schools encircling the
Special Olympics logo. One
of the designs said, "I love
you, Jeremiah. in memory
of a student who passed
away since the last Spedal
Olympics and dedicating the
2019 games to him. Some of
the artists who contributed
to the T-shirts are McKen-
zie Imlay, Chris McDaniel,
Sierra McKinley, Quateria
Low,Arterm Hish, Isha
Patel, Fajr Muhammad and
lateria Wilson.
Students lined up behind
their school banners and cir-
ded the track for an open-
ing lap to officially begin
the activities of the games.
Some of the athletes ran the
lap while others enjoyed
the stroll with teachers and
volunteers, waving to on-
lookers and rece'Mng cheers
and waves as they exited the
track onto the field.
Forsyth Mayor Eric
Wfllson welcomed everyone
to the Olympic Games and
led the pledge of allegiance
to begin them. Rev. Nathan
Jackson of New Providence
Baptist Church prayed in
thanksgiving for the beauti-
ful day, the contestants and
volunteers and asking God
to keep the athletes safe as
they competed. Mary Per-
sons graduate Jackie Lindsey
led the Special Olympics
Oath: "Let me win. But ifI
cannot win, let me be brave
in the attempt."
Forsyth Fire Chief David
Hemdon and Safety Educa-
tor Nancy Patten shared
the honor of lighting the
Olympic flame in the torch
so that the games could
begin. There were new faces
among the volunteers; the
Mary Persons Beta Club and
Best Buddies Club mem-
bers were on hand to time
runners,
measure
softball
and ten-
nis ball
throws
and
measure
long
jumps
and
running
jumps.
The vol-
unteers
also
made
sure that
athletes got to their events
at the right time and got to
the awards tent to pick up
their ribbons and mount the
podium of champions.
Volunteers made sure par-
tidpants had water, shade,
rest and fun jumping rope,
blowing bubbles, playing
comhole toss or tag football
and other activities between
their competitions. Some
of the familiar faces who
have helped with Monroe
County Special Olympics
for many years were spotted
back this year: John Turner,
Karen Johnson, Abbie Bunn,
Keith Edge, Terry Proffitt,
DJ. Hurm, Amber Ridley,
Beth Chafin, Art lenkins,
Elizabeth Hollowa
What would Olympics
be without the music that
says "Let the games be-
gin" and then announces
each time athletes step up
to be recognized on the
winners podium for then"
accomplishments? Walter
Dean and Jessie Griggers,
volunteers with Georgia
Special Olympics Area 7,
which includes Monroe
and nine more counties,
were back on the field this
year operating the sound
system. They deftly cued in
the music of champions and
kept spirits high with
heart-pumping music.
They are part of the
management team
that works to make
sure Special Olympics
events throughout
Area 7 work smooth-
ly. They have been
an integral part of
the Monroe County
Special Olympics for :
several years and do
their job of making
athletes feel special
very well.
After the competitions
concluded, it was time for
the participants to enjoy
.
lunch courtesy of Chick-
fil-a and then spend some
time with inflatables. Also
available this year was the
Forsyth Fire Department
Safety House, which teaches'
children about what to ex-
pect and what to do in case :
of fire. The house, which
was built by Mary Persons
construction students with
funds raised by a Monroe
County Leadership Class,
even replicates a smoke-
filled room and lets children
experience staying low and
crawling to safety from the
"ouming building" Nancy
Patten showed the children
a video and guided them
through the Fire Safety
House.
Dyke said the Monroe
County Spec'ml Olympics
team is already planning
fundraisers to make sure the
event is as big as ever next
year. Georgia Bobs BBQ will
soon host a night where a
percentage of the profit ben-
efits Special Olympics. She
said they hope to raise about
$4,000 to support Monroe
County Special Olympics
and other activities associ-
ated with it, including better
programs for graduates and
for those younger than 8
years old.
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