Maine Special Olympics Summer Games
Congratulations to my nephew Daniel, who won two gold medals, a bronze medal, and a fourth place ribbon in yesterday's Special Olympics Summer Games, held at the University of Maine, in Orono.It was my first time attending a Special Olympics event, and I was curious to see how it all went down. I was very impressed with the level of organization; there were plenty of coaches, judges, and others to help the children (and adults) get to the proper places for their competitions. And, almost unbelievably, as much of the competition as I was there for, it all ran on time. Imagine a competition involving hundreds of special needs students, that runs on schedule!
I was impressed.
After each event, the competitors would go to one of about six or seven platforms where the winners would stand to receive their medals (medals were handed out by police officers and/or military personnel...presumably volunteers for the day...I was told that the police departments of Maine are staunch supporters of the Special Olympics program).
In fact, here's what the Maine Special Olympics website says about the Maine Police Departments:
Quote:
| In 1985 Chief Robert Bell of the Bridgton Police Department presented the idea of the Law Enforcement Torch Run to Special Olympics Maine's Executive Director Mickey Boutilier, and then to the Maine Chiefs of Police Association. As a result the Maine Torch Run program began. Each year nearly 700 members of Maine law enforcement run approximately 900 miles carrying our Flame of Hope. The state is divided into fifteen sections, or Legs. Each Leg covers a portion of the state and the run concludes on Friday evening of the Special Olympics Summer State Games at Opening Ceremonies. Runners raise funds for Special Olympics Maine in a number of ways: they obtain pledges for the actual run - they hold Tip-A-Cop events at local restaurants - they hold Roof-Sits at local Wal-Marts across the state - they have bake sales, car washes, benefit basketball games, voluntary toll-booths - they sell Torch Run T-shirts, hold Serve and Protect events at local gas stations, sell raffle tickets for Harley motorcycles, sell paper torches at area businesses, and many, many more clever events. To date, Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Maine has raised over ONE MILLION DOLLARS ! |
Bravo for our Law Enforcement! Irving also donates to the Law Enforcement Torch Run by giving 5 cents on every gallon pumped, during Memorial Day Weekend.
Anyway...back to the Olympics. It was a very hot day...not my favorite kind of weather for being outdoors all day. I think everyone was dehydrating. Fortunately there was water available, along with free popsicles and sno-cones.
When Daniel finished running his last event (which he won!), I was standing at the finish line, and he came running to give me a hug, but it was more like he collapsed onto me than a real hug, so I took him over to the medical tent to get some water to drink. He seemed fine after that...but a bit subdued. He slept most of the way home.It was nice to finally get to meet Daniel's best buddy, Ryan, who Daniel talks about all the time, but I had never met. Someone commented that they were "two peas in a pod", which certainly was true...they shared so many mannerisms...it's obvious they spend a lot of time together! Daniel can't quite manage to say "Uncle Doug", so he always calls me "Dogog" or something like that. We all think it sounds more like "Doc Ock" (from Spiderman) than "Uncle Doug", but that's what he calls me. So...of course...that's what Ryan called me too.
On the way home from the games, we found out that, because of the threat of showers in the evening, Josh's graduation was going to be inside. This meant I wouldn't be able to go, because of limited seating. So I took Daniel to see the movie Madagascar instead. A pretty silly movie, but Daniel really enjoyed it, and even wanted to stay to watch all the closing credits so he could see the silly animals dancing some more.
Posted On Jun 12, 2005 at 4:31 AM
On Jun 12, 2005 Doug wrote: By the way, in case anyone is interested, here's a link to the Special Olympics Maine website.
On Jun 12, 2005 Beth wrote: That's so great about Daniel and the Special Olympics! There were a few kids from Medomak who ran with the torch for the Special Olympics run they did the other day.
Doug Replied: yeppers...we were real proud of him
On Jun 13, 2005 Arnold wrote: One of the neat things about the torch run also is that when it arrives at the football stadium, usually by the Life Line helicopter, it is then run by the police officer around the field to a line of the parents of the Olympians who get to pass it down the line before it is taken to light the cauldron or whatever you call it in the middle of the field.
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