Swim meet in Warren will benefit Special Olympics at Fairhaven

By William K. Alcorn

The meet usually involves teams from several counties.

WARREN — The sixth annual Area 11 Kelly Jo Carlson Memorial Special Olympics Swim Meet will be Oct. 24 at the new state-of-the-art Warren G. Harding High School natatorium.

The meet, previously at Youngstown State University, is inspired by Kelly, who died at age 33 on April 21, 2004.

Kelly, daughter of Paul and Lois Carlson of Bazetta, was a competitive swimmer at Warren Western Reserve High School and enjoyed volunteering and had helped at Special Olympics events since she was a child.

Her father said he and his family plan to underwrite the annual Area 11 Kelly Jo Carlson Memorial Swim Meet indefinitely.

“It helps the Special Olympics, and it helps us deal with Kelly’s death,” he said.

Because of Kelly’s interest in Special Olympics, her parents asked that monetary tributes at the time of her death go to the Special Olympics program at Trumbull County’s Fairhaven School. The fund is used to sponsor the event. Contributions can be sent to Special Olympics, Fairhaven School, 420 Lincoln Way, Niles, Ohio 44446 in Kelly’s name.

Kelly was student body president her senior year at Warren Western Reserve High School, where she lettered 11 times: four each in swimming and softball, and three in tennis. A graduate of Kent State University, she was completing a master’s degree in business administration at Webster University in San Diego at the time of her death. Most importantly, said her parents, she was a lifelong volunteer for Special Olympic events.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.