Local athlete tackles Special Olympics

SPARTA — More than 150 Special Olympics athletes from Morris, Sussex and Warren counties took part in the Area 3 Special Olympics Track and Field Meet, held May 9 at Hackettstown High School.

Athletes competed in running, walking, wheelchair races, and assisted walking races.

Among the volunteer groups pitching in at the event were Dover Area 3 Special Olympics Volunteers, students from Hackettstown High School, the youth ministry at St. Luke’s Church in Long Valley, and members of the JP Morgan Good Works Program. More than 115 volunteers helped out in all.

The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

For further information about volunteering with Area 3 Special Olympics, contact jasbet@verizon.net.