Starting Off the Summer: Special Olympics RI This Weekend
Special Olympics Rhode Island will be having its annual event this weekend from May 31 to June 2 at the University of Rhode Island.
Courtesy of Special Olympics Rhode Island
With more than 1,000 athletes and 1,200 volunteers, this is the organization’s biggest event of the year. Registration for the games will start at 9:30 a.m. in the Olympic Village, at Meade Stadium — volunteer registration is available throughout the games as well.
The fortieth anniversary of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Rhode Island (LETR RI) will be one of the opening events, with “Guardians of the Flame,” who have been raising funds for the organization, will run the “Flame of Hope” from the State House to the Opening Ceremonies.
This year’s events will be bowling, track and field, unified soccer, soccer skills, swimming and powerlifting. There will also be the Olympic Village, Healthy Athletes Wellness Village and an Athlete Business Showcase, all of which is open to athletes and attendees. The Olympic Village will offer opportunities such as health screenings for vision, dental, and hearing, and massage therapy for athletes. The Athlete Business showcase is a place for athletes to promote their own businesses.
Courtesy of Special Olympics Rhode Island
“Summer Games is a magical time, representing the culmination of our athletes’ year-long dedication to sports training and competition,” says Ed Pacheco, President and CEO of Special Olympics Rhode Island.
“It is at the Games that the life-changing, transformative power of sports truly shines, with athletes arriving brimming with confidence and embracing the joy of inclusion. If you’ve never experienced our Summer Games, I strongly encourage you to attend this year. I promise you will be inspired by our athletes,” Pacheco says.
Events will start on May 31 with registration opening at 9:30 a.m., and the bowling and track and field events will start later that day. The Olympic Village will be open from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. The opening ceremony will start at 7 p.m., with a presentation of the teams, and the final leg of the LETR RI ending with the lighting of the Special Olympics Cauldron.
On June 1, you can watch the bowling and track and field events, as well as unified soccer, soccer skills and swimming. The Olympic Village will be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The last day of events, June 2, will have a second round of swimming events and the powerlifting event. The closing ceremony starts at 2:30 p.m. at the main entrance, which is in Keaney parking lot.
For a more detailed schedule as well as more information about Special Olympics Rhode Island, visit specialolympicsri.org.
Courtesy of Special Olympics Rhode Island
