Hundreds of Area 5 Special Olympians competed Friday, March 17 at Presbyterian College's Bailey Memorial Stadium in the games for Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens, Newberry and McCormick counties. Several schools sent teams for competition and volunteers to help as the special athletes' sponsors. Special needs assistance groups including Whitten Center, the Burton Center and Laurens County Disabilities & Special Needs had teams competing, as well. Student organizations at PC had volunteers to run the events and tabulate results, and stage a fun zone at the front gateway area of the stadium. Law enforcement officers participated in the kick-off victory lap, and organizations affiliated with law enforcement will conduct the SC Special Olympics Torch Run. The State Games, deciding qualifiers for nationals, will be Sunday, April 10, in Columbia (USC Rec Field, noon registration, 1 pm competition starts). All through the day at PC, Area 5 athletes competed in the spirit of the Special Olympics Creed: "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."
--Photos by Vic MacDonald/MyClintonNews.com
