Get involved with a special program

After attending the Special Olympic Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, I appreciated seeing the article about the event on the front page of the Daily Campus. However, I feel like much was left out of the informative piece.

First, there were many more volunteers present from SMU than just Inter-Fraternity Council members. True, IFC was a dominant presence and they are certainly the reason why this Special Olympics event is able to use our campus. However, it should have been acknowledged that this program means so much to our school that several members of Student Senate also came out to support this cause and help. There were also members of the first year leadership development program Emerging Leaders who came to cheer on the athletes. Special Olympics means a lot to the SMU student body, not just those in IFC.

It means so much to first year Emerging Leader Mike Annen that he has taken this program on as his personal project. Annen petitioned MOVE (Mobilization Of Volunteer Effort) to add a fifth component to its project. He has started his own branch of Special Olympics at SMU. Annen has already recruited committee members, selected office hours, and met with interested parties.

Annen has several goals for this program. The first is to create a devoted volunteer base of students who will serve as event volunteers at Dallas area Special Olympics competitions. The second is to eventually employ SMU’s campus as a site for another Special Olympics event, at which SMU faculty and students can come together in our wonderful facilities to make a difference in people’s lives. The third is to increase awareness of the program and its mission. Annen would like to see several new events added at SMU, including basketball and swimming. He is excited to work with SMU and the Dallas area Special Olympics group to help create new options and add our school as a venue. As he says, “Nobody wants to limit the number of times these athletes have a chance to compete.”

SMU is not the only college campus to participate in the Special Olympics. According to the Special Olympics Web site, over 1,100 athletes participate in the Fall Classic at Texas A&M University. However, this Web site also states that the Dallas area has the second highest number of participants of anywhere in the state. There are over 3,500 people who participate in the Special Olympics programs.

Special Olympics Texas offers athletes the chance to compete in 20 sports. Each season brings new sports and within each sport are opportunities for athletes of all ability levels. The level of talent in the Olympics is so varied that they group the participants by skill level as well as hometown. During the year, there are sports clinics to help improve skill level and keep people in shape.

I urge you to get involved with the Special Olympics Program. The lives you will touch and the impact you will make are priceless. When these athletes are given the opportunity to compete and have fun, they develop physical fitness and motor skills, as well as huge jumps in self-confidence and a greater self-image. Being around these competitors on Saturday made me realize how blessed and lucky I am to live a “normal” life. The kids there were excited and having a great time, while remaining competitive and engaged in their volleyball games.

It does not cost participants anything to participate. This lifeblood of Special Olympics is its volunteer force. If you are interested in helping with Special Olympics, please attend the information meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, in the Varsity. Those with questions should contact Mike Annen at [email protected].