11/14/2024
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By Erin Smith

There was a lot of excitement under a warm sunny sky as the Bladen County Special Olympics got under way at Elizabethtown Middle School on Thursday morning.

This year marked 50 years of Special Olympics in North Carolina. Bladen Lakes School Principal Dia Collins served as emcee for the event and opened the games by reading a brief history of Special Olympics in North Carolina.

Collins said, “The movement has expanded to 170 countries worldwide and changed the lives of 5.5 million Special Olympics athletes.”

She stated that in the next 50 years, Special Olympics will work to make the world more inclusive for everyone. Collins said that Special Olympics will continue to be innovative and create sport opportunities for everyone.

Next, Shannon Ross read a moving tribute to Robert “Bob” Hugh Dennis, who passed away in April, and enjoyed taking part in Special Olympics each year.

“Special Olympics is a sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities. It is much more, too. As simple as it sounds, making sports available to all with intellectual disabilities is the basis for powerful changes to individual lives and communities,” said Ross.

Ross said Dennis’ life truly demonstrated the very heart and essence of Special Olympics. She said Dennis’ life was an inspiration to the many individuals who knew him.

Following the opening ceremony, members of law enforcement were joined by Special Olympics students to carry the Special Olympics Torch around the track to light the cauldron.

The banner winners were:

*Bladenboro Primary School who received first place in school banner

*Carolina Home Care who received first place in agency banner

Each school was represented this year including Emereau Bladen and home schooled students, according to Bladen County Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor.

Dr. Taylor said, “This is one of the greatest events that we have in Bladen County Schools.”

He added these athletes are the students with the greatest potential and he said it is possible for everyone to be achievers.

Dr. Taylor also said this event is not a Bladen County Schools event. He said the event is a Special Olympics event and the school system simply assists with whatever needs Special Olympics may have in putting on the county event each year.

Students took part in such games as Bocce Ball, Running Long Jump, Softball Toss, and Sprint Races and Wheelchair races.

Athletes even took time to stop and take part in an impromptu dance competition.

Watch highlights from today’s event below.

 

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