Special Olympics West Hawaii

The well prepared West Hawaii Sharks swim team is looking forward to a great start of the Summer Games, following the successful Special Olympics Weinberg Neighbor Island Regional Swim Meet on Maui April 14, said Coach Holly DeGeal.

The Summer Games are the culminating statewide events for the Spring Season. More than 1,000 talented athletes and unified partners, guided by their coaches, compete at this Olympic-style competition on Oahu. Roughly 2,500 volunteers will donated their time during this three-day contest in late May.

On behalf of the West Hawaii Sharks swim team, parents, chaperones and coaches, DeGeal recently thanked participants for their overwhelming support.

“The Special Olympics Weinberg Neighbor Island Regional Swim Meet would not have been possible without your kokua,” she said.

Have something to say about this swim meet? Want to share a story, photo, inspirational thought, or accomplishment? Talk story with Carolyn Lucas, SOWH blog editor. E-mail her at specialolympics.westhawaii@gmail.com.

Six Special Olympics teams from Kona, Hilo and Honokaa competed in the Big Island softball/tee ball tournament April 11 at the fields behind the Kona Community Aquatic Center on Kuakini Highway.

Although the athletes demonstrated good sportsmanship, they also showed that competitive spirit. Each participant went out there on the field and gave everything he or she had. They put in their whole heart and soul.

Through this competition, teams qualified for the Summer Games held at the University of Hawaii-Manoa from May 29 to May 30. Summer Games marks the end of the Spring season.

Mahalo to the coaches, volunteers, families, friends and supporters. You are valued highly and important to the success of the Special Olympics program.

Please enjoy the following photos taken during the tournament. To see the entire album created by KC Strand, SOWH volunteer coordinator, click here.

Have something to say about this softball/tee ball tournament? Want to share a story, photo, inspirational thought, sports secret or accomplishment? Talk story with Carolyn Lucas, SOWH blog editor. E-mail her at specialolympics.westhawaii@gmail.com.

Special Olympics West Hawaii thanks the many people — individuals, law enforcement officers, businesses, organizations, sponsors and local media — who made our annual Fueling Dreams fundraiser at the Queen Kaahumanu Tesoro station a huge success.

Because of your extraordinary efforts, generousity and pure aloha, $4,121.73 was raised in two days. All of the raised money will stay in West Hawaii. It will be used to help our athletes attend competitions on Maui and Oahu, as well as pay for sports equipment and uniforms.

Monetary gains such as this also help Special Olympics West Hawaii fulfill its purpose of providing year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. By participating in such sports, physical fitness and healthcare education programs, athletes increase self-confidence and social skills, improve physical and motor skills, and have better success in leading more productive and independent lives.

We would like to give a special kudos to the Hawaii Police Department, U.S. Customs, Tesoro Hawaii, Knights of Columbus, and West Hawaii Today. You rock!

Also, thanks to Hawaii247.org and KonaWeb.com for announcing and sharing the event with the online community.

West Hawaii Today reporter Erin Miller wrote a fantastic article about the Fueling Dreams fundraiser, which was published April 3 and can be viewed on the newspaper’s Web site. Here’s an excerpt:

The smiles on athletes’ faces as they play their hearts out and the high-fives afterward, no matter the final score — those rewards are the driving force that keep volunteers like Walter Ah Mow at events like the Fueling Dreams fundraiser for Special Olympics that ends Friday afternoon.

“To see their faces, no words can explain it,” Ah Mow said.

Ah Mow, a detective, was one of several police officers and other volunteers who spent about six hours on Thursday turning the self-serve Queen Kaahumanu Tesoro station into a full-service experience. The change was done at no charge, but other Special Olympics volunteers, athletes and their families were standing by to talk more about the program and ask for donations.

Congratulations to all for a job well done. Mahalo for fueling dreams.

Please enjoy the following photos, taken by SOWH volunteer coordinator KC Strand, at this year’s event. To see the entire album, click here.

Six Special Olympics teams from Kona, Hilo and Honokaa will compete in the Big Island softball tournament April 11 at the fields behind the Kona Community Aquatic Center on Kuakini Highway.

Through this competition, teams qualify for the Summer Games held at the University of Hawaii-Manoa from May 29 to May 30. Summer Games marks the end of the Spring season.

Opening ceremonies for the Big Island softball tournament begin promptly at 9:15 a.m. Volunteers should check in between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

Volunteers are needed to prepare and hand out awards; give snacks and drinks to spectators, athletes and volunteers; be on hand to handle minor injuries; as well as help people check in, answer questions and lend a hand.

Donations are being sought for snacks, drinks, lunches, paper goods, ice, medial supplies, and tents. Contributing businesses and organizations can have their banners displayed at the tournament.

For more information or to donate, call Dave Ross, Special Olympics West Hawaii area director, at 345-1344 or send an e-mail to sowhdave@yahoo.com. Also visit www.sowh.org.