The Arc of Clinton County surprised the Clinton County Special Olympics athletes with a $3,000 donation for the upcoming Summer Games in Terre Haute in June.
The Arc of Clinton County Executive Director Sandra Stevenson presented Clinton County Special Olympics Coordinator Crissy Earl with a $3,000 donation to help fund the beloved Summer Games trip to Indiana State University in Terre Haute in June. According to Stevenson, the donation marked over half of the necessary funds for attending the event for the Special Olympics.
“If you talk to any athlete that goes to Terre Haute, it is a huge event,” Stevenson said. “It’s like the Olympics. They have so many big to-dos. For a lot of the individuals, they live at home with families. They might live in a supportive residential environment. To be able to go and have that weekend and be on a bus, they are just ecstatic. It is like the biggest vacation in the world for them. It is very important.”
Earl expressed that while The Arc donates annually to the cause, the total amount of the donation caught her, the coaches and the athletes by surprise as it brought their fundraising needs down significantly for attendance to the games.
“It wasn’t expected for the amount it was,” Earl said. “We usually do get some type of donation that goes toward summer games. We appreciate it so much. It helped out a lot.”
Earl continued to comment that the trip to Terre Haute acts as a favorite event for all of the Special Olympics athletes as they are invited to stay at Indiana State University, where they may also receive free glasses, shoes, health exams and more alongside the exhilarating atmosphere that surrounds the games from the actual competition to a dance party and beyond.
“Every year, we fundraise to pay for that,” Earl said. “All of our donations go for a free weekend for them. It’s basically a mini vacation for some of them. It’s fun. They have a dance party, fireworks and it’s a whole thing.”
Special Olympics Athlete Taylor Sims commented about the games in Terre Haute and the impact that the games have on the entire team that is able to attend every year, and he focused on his adoration for the dance party that occurs annually.
“I do love the Terre Haute Summer Games,” Sims said. “It’s so much fun. The dance party they have there is so cool. As all these guys know, I’m quite the party animal. I love to get down. I just love the support from all these strangers and friends. It’s so cool to see.”
Sims continued to comment about how Special Olympics has impacted him personally as he has met many athletes who he has come to consider his friends and family as they compete on the court together.
“It really feels like family and camaraderie and a place where you can really belong with people that have similar situations as you do,” Sims said. “It just makes you feel less alone in this world.”
Special Olympics Athlete Pepper Perry continued Sims’ thoughts, commenting about her favorite aspect of the Special Olympics program in Clinton County, focusing on volleyball as the activity that excites her the most.
“Special Olympics to me is everything,” Perry said. “I like volleyball. I like running. I like hitting the ball, and I’m good at it.”
Special Olympics Athlete Joe Clark concluded the comments from the athletes by communicating how the Special Olympics familial bond extends beyond the Clinton County community as the athletes come to know others from different counties and find their similarities that draw them closer together.
“I like all the sports,” Clark said. “It helps us know our county and gain respect from other counties we don’t know. Other counties bond together. We know it’s a different county, but we still love the different parts.”
The Clinton County Special Olympics welcomes those between the ages of 8 through 100 for participation in basketball, bowling, track and field, volleyball, equestrian, golf and cornhole. The Special Olympics has become successful in Clinton County as all three basketball teams will move on to compete at the State level at the Pacers Athletic Center at Grand Park in Westfield on March 23 and March 24.
“They work very hard at what they do,” Earl said. “They deserve respect just like everyone else, and we have a lot of fun. We’re basically a family, and when we see each other multiple times a week, I see them more than I do real family sometimes. They’re my second family.”
The Arc of Clinton County has been a continuous supporter of the Clinton County Special Olympics with a detailed history of service for the community of Clinton County as a whole. The grassroots organization began in the mid-1960’s with the collaboration of families who had children who were special. The non-profit organization began as the families found a need for other families to understand the laws and services while also solidifying an environment for all families to feel supported.
“We’re an education and advocacy chapter,” Stevenson said. “I give out information and directions, and we’ll help people if they really need help filling out paperwork. I was in the field for 21 years with a local provider, and I feel like I have a pretty good background of how things work and kind of where to go.”
The Arc of Clinton County has donated to the Special Olympics for over 20 years, but the organization has continued to expand its horizons every year with new initiatives, such as providing camp scholarships for those who wish to attend summer camps. The Arc also coordinates Special People Day, a day of celebration of the special community members in Clinton County at the Clinton County Fairgrounds. The Arc also helps coordinate holiday-themed events, such as the Christmas party at The Moose where all the special people in attendance get gifts from Santa and the Halloween event with the Frankfort Jaycees where the special people in attendance can show off their costumes and receive prizes.
“We occasionally do some other donations, such as for the Autism Support Group,” Stevenson said. “I
always say we are the best kept secret of Clinton County because people don’t really know sometimes where the funds came from for the people.”
Stevenson commented that The Arc of Clinton County strives to empower everyone in the community regardless of their background with a focus upon the special people who serve as the backbone of the Clinton County community.
“I have a passion, and I just want to uplift everyone,” Stevenson said. “We talk about disabilities, but I want to say let’s look at each individual’s abilities. Look at the individuals here at Special Olympics who are able play and understand the game and what positions they have.”
For more information about the Clinton County Special Olympics, follow the Clinton County Indiana Special Olympics on Facebook. For more information about The Arc of Clinton County, call 765-343-2779 or email Stevenson at [email protected].
