Laura
05-19-2008, 02:48 PM
http://www.silive.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news/1210497315187710.xml&coll=1
Good things are happening at Island Special Olympics
A total of 515 athletes take the field to compete with the help of 200 volunteers
Sunday, May 11, 2008
By JAMIE LEE
ADVANCE STAFF WRITER
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Richard Salinardi took a step back from Monsignor Farrell High School's Oakwood field yesterday and allowed himself a moment to appreciate the scene unfolding in front of him.
On its 35th anniversary, the Staten Island Special Olympics' Area Games had 515 athletes come together and compete for medals in a variety of events with the assistance of more than 200 volunteers.
A far cry from when Salinardi began the program with just 10 members working out once a month at Wagner College on Grymes Hill.
The SISO now has more than 700 competitors training seven days a week year-round in activities ranging from power lifting to golf to swimming to bowling, and it has sent qualifiers to World Games contests as far away as China, Spain, France, England and Alaska.
"This was a terrific day," Salinardi said. "This was definitely one of the best ones we've ever had."
Much of that success comes from the steady support of volunteers from all walks of life, according to Salinardi. Members of the American Legion helped organize the parade, the Knights of Columbus provided the lunches, and representatives from Goldman Sachs and MetLife handed out medals.
"You really feel it when you put them up there on the podium to get their medals," said second-year Goldman Sachs volunteer Bill Smith, who noted that his company's volunteer sign-up sheet routinely fills up in under an hour.
To Salinardi, the most impressive change is how youthful the volunteer pool has become recently with large-scale student body additions from Farrell, Notre Dame Academy and St. John Villa, among others.
"The influx of young people has been nothing short of amazing," he said. "They just want to do something and be a part of it. They're not doing it just for college. Every event, they keep coming back and bringing more of their friends."
Farrell, in particular, has been a breeding ground for support ever since Salinardi started a SISO volunteer group there three years ago with the assistance of teacher Jane Joyce and her son Kevin. The group has grown from 30 initial members to upwards of 150.
"To see these young adults buddying up with our pee-wees in potato-sack races and obstacle course and walking our older wheelchair athletes around during the opening parade is seeing a community integration right before our eyes that doesn't really happen all the time," added Salinardi. "It's beautiful."
Jamie Lee is a reporter for the Staten Island Advance.
© 2008 Staten Island Advance
© 2008 SILive.com All Rights Reserved.
Good things are happening at Island Special Olympics
A total of 515 athletes take the field to compete with the help of 200 volunteers
Sunday, May 11, 2008
By JAMIE LEE
ADVANCE STAFF WRITER
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Richard Salinardi took a step back from Monsignor Farrell High School's Oakwood field yesterday and allowed himself a moment to appreciate the scene unfolding in front of him.
On its 35th anniversary, the Staten Island Special Olympics' Area Games had 515 athletes come together and compete for medals in a variety of events with the assistance of more than 200 volunteers.
A far cry from when Salinardi began the program with just 10 members working out once a month at Wagner College on Grymes Hill.
The SISO now has more than 700 competitors training seven days a week year-round in activities ranging from power lifting to golf to swimming to bowling, and it has sent qualifiers to World Games contests as far away as China, Spain, France, England and Alaska.
"This was a terrific day," Salinardi said. "This was definitely one of the best ones we've ever had."
Much of that success comes from the steady support of volunteers from all walks of life, according to Salinardi. Members of the American Legion helped organize the parade, the Knights of Columbus provided the lunches, and representatives from Goldman Sachs and MetLife handed out medals.
"You really feel it when you put them up there on the podium to get their medals," said second-year Goldman Sachs volunteer Bill Smith, who noted that his company's volunteer sign-up sheet routinely fills up in under an hour.
To Salinardi, the most impressive change is how youthful the volunteer pool has become recently with large-scale student body additions from Farrell, Notre Dame Academy and St. John Villa, among others.
"The influx of young people has been nothing short of amazing," he said. "They just want to do something and be a part of it. They're not doing it just for college. Every event, they keep coming back and bringing more of their friends."
Farrell, in particular, has been a breeding ground for support ever since Salinardi started a SISO volunteer group there three years ago with the assistance of teacher Jane Joyce and her son Kevin. The group has grown from 30 initial members to upwards of 150.
"To see these young adults buddying up with our pee-wees in potato-sack races and obstacle course and walking our older wheelchair athletes around during the opening parade is seeing a community integration right before our eyes that doesn't really happen all the time," added Salinardi. "It's beautiful."
Jamie Lee is a reporter for the Staten Island Advance.
© 2008 Staten Island Advance
© 2008 SILive.com All Rights Reserved.