<turday, May 17, Carleton hosted the annual Area 10 Special Olympics track and field tournament, the qualifying event for the statewide State Games to be held in June. Adults and children with intellectual and physical disabilities from nine Special Olympics delegations in southeastern Minnesota came together for the all-day event.
One of Carleton’s Special Olympics program directors, Shannon Carcelli ’08, said that “the Special Olympics is an entire institution completely devoted to making people happy. As soon as the events start, people all around are excited and celebrating and appreciating what they have earned and what they have been given, and the joy is contagious.”
Athletes participated in a number of events throughout the day, including short and long distance running, long jump, discus, and softball throw. In preparation for the event, athletes practiced two times per week with volunteers from Carleton’s Acting in the Community Together (ACT) office, St. Olaf’s Volunteer Network, and the Northfield community. Volunteers from the Northfield Target store and the Cannon Valley Rotaract, as well as from other delegations, joined in to organize, cheer, and assist with recording scores. During the closing ceremony, ribbons went to all competitors for their hard work and achievements made that day.
This year, Area 10 participants hailed from the Faribault, Filmore County, Freeborn County/ARC Sports, Goodhue Public Schools, Mower County, Owatonna , Red Wing Public Schools, Rochester, and Northfield. This regional competition will be followed by the statewide Summer Games in June, which will include all twelve areas of Special Olympics Minnesota.
-Courtesy of Media Relations