Spring-Ford Area High School hosted the Montgomery County Special Olympics Track and Field Competition on May 24.

According to the Special Olympics website, the organization’s mission is to “provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.”

The event brought together athletes from around Eastern PA for a day of festivities and competition. Athletes were assisted by student volunteers from participating schools, with many Spring-Ford student volunteers running events and working the concession stands.

“Special Olympics was a great day for all of the athletes, students, and volunteers involved in the day,” 10-12 Center Special Education Supervisor Aimee Oblak said. “We had over 350 athletes and over 400 student volunteers.”

This event helps to relieve stress from everyday classwork and normal activities for a day of fun and relaxation. Some events included the softball throw, 25-meter run, and cornhole games at the tennis courts.

The event was able to bring together the community and help grow relationships for kids while also allowing them to relax.

Members of the Spring-Ford community showed out for the day’s festivities.

“Pulling off an event of this magnitude takes the work of dozens of people and we are very fortunate to have had hundreds of students and adults volunteer for the day,” Oblak said. “We sincerely appreciate all that everyone did to make this day a success.”

Students also saw many programs come to this event, including a program called Autistic Wings providing life skills training to those on the autistic spectrum.

Overall, the event helped to bring together staff members, students, and community from around the area for a fun event of festivities and competition.

“It was fun, I enjoyed it, there were a lot more people than I expected,” said student volunteer Oliver Bunn, a junior who helped out with the 50-meter race. “I enjoyed helping setup, watching the athletes go, and seeing their times.”