Photo:
Eliot Burr -- Los Altos Town Crier
Click Here
Kiwanis Special Games XLII
The Games have been postponed to 2022!
West Valley College,
Saratoga !!
Friday,
May 13, 2022
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(click the picture to see the REALLY big one ... 17MB) |
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#specialgames |
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QuickLinks to commonly needed Docs ...
(Dozens of others on the DOWNLOAD page.)
Area Map
College Map Track Map Parking Info
Program
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Teachers and Athletes -- On-line
Registration
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VOLUNTEERS -- Everything you need
is here
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Articles, Pictures, Videos,
Thank you letters
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Most Recent Stats -- SG XLI May 17, 2019
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Each May ... About 1000
severely challenged kids from public and private schools across |
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Photos
by Aldean Adams (above), and Richard
Arbuckle
Kiwanis
Special Games
Presented by Kiwanis Club of
Division 1234
Remembering Walter Chronert, 1919-2007,
Founder of the Kiwanis Special Games
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The Kiwanis Special Games were
created to address the physical and emotional needs of the substantial number
of extremely challenged children in the schools of our region. More broadly
known programs like the Special Olympics presume a much higher level of
function. The Special Games exclude no one. The Games were first organized in
1979 by two Special Games XLII The 2022 Games will be held on Friday, May
13, from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM. About 150
buses will deliver approximately 950 K–12 athletes from 60 schools. The Games
will be run by over 400 Kiwanis members from 30 Kiwanis Clubs, 6 college
Circle K Clubs, 21 high school Key Clubs, and a middle school Builders Club.
They will be assisted by about 1,500 friends, family, schoolmates, teachers
and caregivers who accompany the 950 athletes. How the Games Work The Games begin with a Parade of
Athletes and formal opening ceremonies. Groups.
Each athlete is placed in a group with half a dozen others with
similar abilities. Events, appropriate to those abilities, are chosen for
each of the 120 groups so that each child competes on a level field with
their peers. The events are tailored to fit the limitations of the athletes,
ranging from the 100 yard dash, to dropping a bean bag on a target by
signaling a volunteer who actually drops the bag. The athletes in a group
stay together the whole morning, and compete, within the group, in the same
events. Their age, mobility, and athletic abilities are similar, so
competition within the group will always be fair. Every athlete is presented
a T-shirt and a participant ribbon, and each event contestant is awarded a
first, second, third or “best effort” (no “losers” at the Games) place
ribbon. About 5,000 ribbons are given out. After the games, all athletes
reassemble with their schools, and relive the adventures of the morning,
while eating a picnic lunch. Pushing the envelope. We are told repeatedly that the Special
Games is the most important day of the year in the lives of many of these
determined athletes. This is the one day when they are validated, rather than
excused, for their physical capabilities. It’s obvious from the joy on their
happy faces that these kids are having FUN, but the value of the experience
goes far beyond mere play, the conduct of the Games is formal and official
and competitive. The value is not just going through the motions of the
event, the value is in trying your hardest, and WINNING that ribbon as a
recognition of your valor and success in a demanding physical endeavor.
Teachers report that in the days and weeks after the Games, many of the
athletes are trying new things, being more confident, pushing themselves
harder. The Process. Groups spend two hours competing in as many
athletic events, appropriate to their abilities, as time and energy permit.
All groups and events are led and managed by Kiwanis volunteers. The Events. There are 18 events laid out within the
college stadium, covering a wide range of skill levels. Arriving groups are
formally and officially greeted, staged, coached, and recognized with an
awards ceremony after each contest. |
This is a letter written
by Key Clubber Hannah Lee about her experiences at the special Games in 2004 I Had No
Idea We
arrived at De Anza, at their football field, 7:30 in the morning. It was
pretty cold and we were hopping around waiting for the volunteer to give us
our bright yellow shirts that read “Kiwanis Special Games.” We were given
instructions to sit on the bleachers and wait for the participants to arrive.
I asked, “What are we supposed to do once they get here?” ‘Lead your group
and keep track of them’ was the answer. My friend, and I looked at each other
and shrugged, ‘looks like we won’t be doing much’ I thought to myself. I had
no idea. They
had underestimated our role. I thought that our job stopped after ‘leading
and keeping track.’ We were given a roster of names, and when the kids
arrived and moved towards their group, we began taking role. That in itself was
harder than I thought. You couldn’t simply call out names and hope for a
‘present’ or ‘here!.’ So we went to each individual kid in the area and asked
them what their name was. Some responded, but most did not. I relied on the
parents and guardians for help. From that moment, you could see the
personality of each participant. One just stared right into my eyes. Another
gave me a hug and told me how excited she was. One child asked me how many 1st
place ribbons I had because
according to him, he would win them all, since he had come ‘To win a lot! But
I want to have fun, that’s the most important right?’ he said. After
that, we proceeded to the first game. Organizing them was one of the hardest
things I have ever done. It was confusing enough to get them into rows and
sections, and then different heats, and also keeping them in the right
places. Then we had to worry about exactly who threw the farthest, who threw
the 2nd farthest… and the 3rd… in each section of each
heat. This was hard because we hadn’t memorized the names of the kids yet.
But their intense enthusiasm and cheers for each other when receiving their
prizes made me want to try harder. The next event was little easier to
control, and the next was even easier. We found that by the 2nd event,
we knew everyone’s name by heart. Although learning names usually takes me a
while, it was so easy to match their names with their personalities and their
grins. We
had to take role every couple of minutes, just in case a child tried to run
away. We knew one; his name was Eric, who continuously ran away. We learned
to show him that we cared about him and wanted to talk to him, so he would
stay. Another, whom I will never forget, was a girl named Kristie. After each
event, regardless of the turnout, she hugged me. She even gave me a kiss!
After the event, she pronounced that it was the ‘funnest
ever.’ I learned so much that day. I
learned what appreciation is really about. The things we take for granted
like walking, looking straight, making a decision of whether to drive or
walk, and breathing on our own. to others they are constant battles. I also
learned another thing. In a way, I felt more incapable that anyone else there
that day. I could never find the joy that Kristie found after throwing 3
softballs. I never clapped as hard as she did or smiled as big for her fellow
friends, when they crossed the finish line at the zig-zag race. And she could
never learn as much from me as I did from her in 2 hours. I thank Kristie,
because really, I HAD NO IDEA. |
Special Thanks to: Randy
Klein, Schools Coordinator; Donna Breckenridge, West Valley Coordinator;
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Photos by Richard Arbuckle
The Games endures through the
generous support of these enterprises and organizations.
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SG
XLII-- v. 3.10.2022
sginfo@losaltoskiwanis.org
© Kiwanis Club of Division 1234, 2020
v.5