40th summer for Special Olympics at UMaine

ORONO – The 40th annual Special Olympics Maine state summer games will take place Friday through Sunday, June 6-8, at the University of Maine.

Thirteen hundred athletes have been training all year for the event and will represent more than 150 teams from across the state.

Athletes, age 8 to 88, will compete in a variety of Olympic-style sports.

The start of the competition will take place at 9 a.m. Friday, June 6, with bowling and unified events, followed by bocce ball and track time trials.

The Parade of Champions begins at 6 p.m. June 6 behind the Performing Arts Center and proceeds past the Field House and on to the field for opening ceremonies at 7 p.m.

Athletes will begin competition at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, June 7, in track and field. Wheelchair competitions start at 10 a.m.

An Olympic Village, created by Special Olympics founder Mickey Boutilier, will open for athletes at 10 a.m. Saturday.

On Saturday evening, athletes, coaches and family members will be treated to Maine’s largest sit-down dinner, then a victory dance featuring Malinda Liberty and the Shake, Rattle and Roll band.

This year’s event is an extra-special one because it is the 40th anniversary of the Special Olympics.

Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the first Special Olympic Games took place at Soldiers Field in Chicago. Athletes from the United States and Canada competed at these first games, including a team from Maine. In honor of this milestone, each team has been asked to create a large birthday card to be used as decoration at the dance.

A commemorative birthday pin will be available for sale and all decorations will be birthday-themed. At the banquet, party hats and noisemakers will be passed out to all 1,300 athletes, their coaches and staff, and they will be invited to join in sing ing “The Birthday Song.”

Competition continues on Sunday with walk races, the mile run and friendship circle. Closing ceremonies will take place at 10:30 a.m.

In addition to competition, athletes will have the opportunity to participate in the Healthy Athlete program to have free vision, hearing, dental and physical therapy screenings.

Healthy Smiles, under the direction of Dr. Scott Trowbridge and Maine Dental Arts, has offered free screenings for the past eight years.

Audiologist Dr. Jim Dean started the hearing screening, which is now under the direction of Amy Booth from the University of Maine Audiology Clinic.

Opening Eyes is a vision screening offered under the direction of optometrist Dr. Dave Douglas from Bangor.

In addition to the free screening, athletes are given free prescription glasses and goggles – often on-site or within a few days.

Jen Corbeil, a physical therapist, has a group that offers free physical therapy screenings where athletes are checked on range of motion, strength and fitness. Exercise plans are offered to each athlete. Each provider has attended National Directors Training in order to become a certified director of the Healthy Athletes program.

For information, call Lisa Bird at 839-5919 or 879-0489.