Special Olympics Cleveland County is looking for more than 150 volunteers for the Special Olympics Local Spring Games, which will be held in Shelby on April 23, 2016. The games will include competition among more than 200 Special Olympics athletes from throughout the county, according to Carol Goforth, coordinator for Special Olympics Cleveland County. The volunteer and athlete registration deadline is March 4, 2016.
Athletes will compete in Track & Field, Motor Activities and YAP (Young Athlete Program). Competition will take place at Shelby High School. All state traveling athletes are required to participate in the local games to be eligible for travel.
Volunteers are needed to fill positions ranging from scorekeepers and timers to meal distribution assistants and announcers, Goforth says. "Volunteers are the backbone to making the Special Olympics Cleveland County the successful program that it is today. They serve in numerous positions, some of which include volunteering at the local games, serving as coaches on travel teams, serving on local steering committee, serving on sports development teams at the state level, and numerous others. Without dedicated volunteers our local program would not be as successful as it is today. I am so thankful that our community steps up to make a difference in the lives of these athletes."
It also makes a difference in those who volunteer, according to Barbara Jones. Jones has worked with Special Olympics Cleveland County for 15 years.
"It is a blessing, and I think I enjoy it more than the participants do," says Jones. She encourages others to volunteer, as well. "Carol Goforth works hard to put you into a job that you will enjoy," she says. Jones has worked in concession stands at the Spring Games. "It's a wonderful thing, and once you volunteer, you won't regret it."
Special Olympics Cleveland County is an accredited subprogram of Special Olympics North Carolina, Inc., offering year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. These athletes inspire greatness through their success and provide motivation to the many coaches, sports officials, local program committee members and other supporters involved in Special Olympics.
For more information, or to sign up to volunteer for the Special Olympics Local Spring Games, contact Carol Goforth, at 704-476-8050 or 704-472-4546, or email her at cagoforth@clevelandcountyschools.org.

By April Hoyle Shauf