2012_Sp_Olympics_resized_195

The Arkansas State Special Olympics was held May 24-26 at Harding University in Searcy. The participation in the games continues to grow each year. This year there were 2,500 athletes, 500 coaches, and 700 volunteers involved as well as family members and friends. Bobby Doyle, Executive Director-Special Olympics Arkansas, has been involved for 40 years and has seen it grow from 275 athletes the first year to its current size.

Once again, the local Knights of Columbus were very well represented at the games with its support of Olympic Town, which is an area where the athletes can take a break from the competition and enjoy some non-competitive activities. They can shoot basketballs and toss rings and bean bags at targets, or they can make bracelets and necklaces from thousands of plastic and wooden beads. They can also have their fingernails painted or have washable tattoos applied.

Assembly 2316 provided four members of the Honor Guard for Thursday's openning ceremonies to complement the four from Mountain Home's Assembly 2060.

Following the games last year, Dub Green was named the Arkansas Knights of Columbus State Director for Special Olympics, a challenge which he readily accepted with his wife, Geri, who has been involved with Olympic Town for 18 years. With the assistance of Tony and Mary Shields throughout the year, and some work by the HSV Woodworkers coordinated by Jack Barrett, they renovated some of the old games and added new ones as well. Geri hand paints thousands of wooden beads each year for the necklaces and bracelets. This year they also donated and equipped a trailer to transport the games in Searcy.

Working with Dub and Geri as KC Council Community Director, Milt Spaniel helped recruit over 30 volunteers from the Knights and Sacred Heart of Jesus parishioners. Four members of the Assembly’s Honor Guard also participated in the opening ceremonies Thursday evening. In addition to Father Bill Elser, there were two special volunteers, Ellie Barker and Joanne Podraza, who have been involved for many years to carry on the efforts of their deceased husbands, Roger and John respectively, who worked with Lee Borne during the early years of Olympic Town.

The HSV Knights donated $2,500 to Special Olympics from the money raised during the fall Campaign for People with Intellectual Disabilities. The State K of C donated $1,000 which Dub presented to Bobby Doyle Thursday evening. Dub also presented a plaque on Friday to Kent Kamerman, owner of Searcy Glass and Storage, for donating for ten years the use of one unit to store the K of C games and tents etc.

For this event, including all of the preparation work and staffing Olympic Town during the games, the volunteers donated 1,902 hours. The hours for all volunteers Thursday – Saturday = 1,258. In addition, there were 644 hours for the honor guard (80), Dub and Geri preparing for the games (450), Tony and Mary Shields (70), and Jack Barrett with the HSV Woodworkers.

However, there is consensus among the volunteers that they receive far more from the experience of working with these special people than they give…the rewards are great.

After completing their work on Friday, most Olympic Town volunteers attended mass celebrated by Father Elser at St. James Church. After mass, a sumptuous dinner was catered gratis by Golden Corral #702 from North Little Rock, the manager of which is on the Special Olympics-Arkansas Board of Directors. In addition to the volunteers, the dinner was attended by Bobby Doyle and his wife, Peggy, Father Matthew from St. James Church, and Bruce Kelley, Batesville Council Grand Knight. Both Dub and Bobby thanked everyone for their contributions to the success of the event.

Dub and Geri will present a K of C Certificate of Appreciation to James Staats, Manager of Golden Corral for the catered dinner.

Click on PHOTOS to view some pictures from the event.

Olympic Town - Knights & SHJ Parishioners (31)
Ament, Tom and Cathy
Barker, Ellie
Barrett, Jack and Carol
Barta, Ron and Darlene
Biddle, Dick
Bodensteiner, John and Carolyn
Elser, Father Bill
Frantz, Mike
Goodson, Jim and Patricia
Green, Dub and Geri
Guida, John
McGannon, Patrick
Miller, Mike and Pat
Podraza, Joanne
Roe, Bill
Spaniel, Milt and Janice
Weber, Dorothy
Welch, Bill and Pat
Welsh, Mike
Witcraft, Roger and Mary Ann
Wolfer, Gary

Olympic Town – Others (7)
Bosch, Dennis - Hot Springs Grand Knight
Frein, Carl – Brinkley Council
Frein, Anthony
Frein, Kathryn
Niesen, Lauren – Bodensteiner's granddaughter
Skubish, P.J.
Stout, Josh
Swafford, Johnnie

Assembly 2316 Honor Guard (4)
Griffin, Jack
Kerwin, Mike
Patterson, Bill
Yerina, Tom