Presbyterian College is hosting the Special Olympics March 27 in Bailey Memorial Stadium, with the goal of helping to improve the lives of those with mental disabilities.

Today, around 200 million people worldwide suffer from over 250 mental disabilities. Of the 4.6 million American adults with mental disabilities, 92 percent live alone or with family members. Many of them have a career and their own home, but are still overlooked in our society.

Athletes  will be traveling to the College from surrounding counties, including Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick and Newberry in order to participate in this special event, where hopefully the athletes are given a chance to shine, and their families can watch their loved one win a medal.

The Special Olympics event is also day of service that the whole PC community can participate in. Student volunteers and local community members will help create a platform to showcase the athletes’ physical talents. Students and faculty have already signed up in droves to volunteer, reflecting PC’s motto “Dum vivimus servimus (While we live, we serve).” 

Student volunteers like Geena Griffith and Jamie Carlson helped get PC connected with the national Special Olympics organization and have been coordinating the event. “We feel honored to be able to do so much for these kids” said Griffith. “We just hope that others have the same passion towards service and are willing to help us do as much good as possible.”

Griffith and Carlson have been recruiting volunteers to oversee the competitions and manage an “Olympic Village,” where athletes and their families will play games run by different student organizations. Many local groups have already pledged their time and money to the Special Olympics event, including the Pi Kappa Phi.

This fraternity aligns itself with the Ability Experience (another non-profit organization working to improve the lives of the mentally handicapped) and its brothers have already volunteered for the Special Olympics this year.

“We are elated to have the opportunity to assist with the Special Olympics and consider it a privilege to work with all the athletes this year,” said Sawyer Davis, president of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. “I believe that this experience will be both fun and rewarding for all involved.”

For more information on how you can volunteer click here.