Sponsors still needed to fund Saturday's Special Olympics

GIRARD

Assisting developmentally challenged participants in the 2010 Special Olympics was a rewarding experience for student volunteers from Girard High School.

Judy Barber, a teacher in the high school’s English Department and event volunteer, also noted many of the same students planned to assist this year. Between 150 and 200 students, staff and community volunteers will lend hands and hearts.

Registration for the Special Olympics will be at 8:30 a.m. Saturday then an opening ceremony at

9:45 a.m. in Arrowhead Stadium on South Highland. Track and field events will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include activities such as the 50- to 1,500-meter race and walk, relay, wheelchair races, shot put and long jump.

Barber said about 250 students who are physically or mentally challenged or both will participate. They will come from Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Ashtabula, Portage and Geauga counties and represent eight school districts.

The event is being coordinated by Girard school district, Fairhaven School, operated by Trumbull County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and Girard-Liberty Rotary Club.

Awards will be presented to winners throughout the day.

Barber said sponsors still are needed to help fund the event. To donate, call Randy Suchanek, Rotary Special Olympics chairman, at 330-402-1173.

For the complete story, read Thursday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.