Local members of the Washington Special Olympics state team competing in the U.S. national games this July were honored at the Dec. 17 Eastern Washington University men's basketball game. Team members are Aaron Evans, Scott Tobin, Peter Condon, Bryce Barlow, Mariah Gilbert and Chase Riley.
If you can offer financial help, have the ability to provide reduced - or free - airfare or are a pilot with a plane large enough to hold at least seven people, Cheney Parks and Recreation Special Olympics coach Brenda Devine would like to hear from you.
The Cheney portion of Eastern Washington's contingent to the state Special Olympics team is hoping to get to Seattle on Thursday, Jan. 11, to take part in a gear fitting and public ceremonies kick-off to this summer's 50th U.S. Special Olympic Games. The Games take place July 1-6 in Seattle, and six local individuals are part of Washington's team - five from Cheney and one from Medical Lake.
Devine was informed of the event earlier this week in an email from Special Olympics of Washington vice president and head of the state delegation Joe Hampson. Washington's team consists of 247 athletes, most of whom should be assembling on Jan. 11 to receive their team gear, hear inspirational talks from dignitaries, celebrities and major sponsors. Athletes will also get a chance to meet other team members, share their Special Olympic stories with the media, gain training tips on topics such as healthy eating and proper exercise, and be part of a TV commercial with major sponsor Microsoft that will air regionally and nationwide up to the July Games.
"It (the event) will drive the message home to the athletes that you are in training," Devine said.
Devin said originally they had looked at driving to the event, which begins at 9 a.m. and concludes around 4:30 p.m., but decided flying was needed instead. Two of the local athletes work and can only manage to get that day off - a fact that would preclude them from the event if the team drove to Seattle.
Devine said they compared driving to flying and found that airfare was not that much more than van rental and overnight accommodations. The cost per athlete along with Devine, who was selected as a Team Washington stand up paddleboard coach, is $277 - making the total roughly $1,939.
Four of the Cheney team qualified as individuals in stand up paddleboard competition: Aaron Evans, Scott Tobin, Bryce Barlow and Mariah Gilbert. Tobin is a 2010 SO track and field national champion while Evans competed at the World Games in swimming.
Peter Condon is competing in golf and has won four straight state tournament gold medals for individual 18-hole, with Medical Lake/Lakeland Village's Chase Riley competing in bocce ball.
"It's such a fabulous opportunity," Devine said of the Jan. 11 event. "It's a bucket-list thing."
Devine can be reached through the Parks and Recreation Department at 498-9250 or via the Facebook page "Cheney Specialized Recreation and Special Olympics."
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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