Canal Winchester Messenger - March 21st, 2021

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PAGE 2 - MESSENGER - March 21, 2021
www.columbusmessenger.com
Special Olympics Summer Games are cancelled
By Rick Palsgrove
Managing Editor
The annual Special Olympics Ohio Summer Games will
not be held this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Summer Games is cancelled for this year,” wrote
Special Olympics Ohio South Central Regional Manager
John Esson in a message to Special Olympics members. “I
think most of us knew this was coming.”
Esson added the regional qualifiers are also cancelled
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this year, including meets at Whetstone, Watkins, Rio
Grande, and Ohio University.
“We remain positive, can see the light, and know this
COVID-19 world won’t last forever,” wrote Special
Olympics Ohio President and CEO Jessica Stewart in a
message to Special Olympics members. “We know returning
to full activities will take time and won’t happen
overnight. We will continue to put the safety and health of
our athletes first. Aligned with our Special Olympics Ohio
Health Initiatives, the overall well being of our athletes
continues to be a priority for us.”
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According to Penny Hilty, coordinator of
Groveport Special Olympics, the State Summer
Games 2021 had been set for June 25-27 on the
campus of The Ohio State University, mainly at
Jesse Owens Stadium, but other venues as well.
“We believe, and hope, that Summer Games will
be held in 2022 at OSU as usual,” said Hilty. “Here
at Groveport Special Olympics we are looking
ahead to having bowling begin in August at Wayne
Webb Bowl on South High Street. We would also
like to begin swimming in September at the
Groveport Recreation Center. We remain hopeful
that things will soon get back to a more normal
schedule.”
Stewart’s message noted that multiple conversations
about the issue were held with the Board of
Directors, Special Olympics Ohio Medical Director,
The Ohio State University leadership, State Staff,
athletes, and the Return to Play COVID Committee
made up of leadership from our local organizations.
A survey was sent to the local organizations to
explore their feelings on Summer Games and
Return to Play intentions for community-based
activities.
“These conversations were incredibly valuable
and truly insightful,” wrote Stewart. “We truly
thought we would be further out, leaving this pandemic
as a memory and snapshot in history,” wrote
Stewart. “Unfortunately, we just aren’t there yet.
There are multiple factors at play in this decision,
but the safety of our athletes is our utmost priority.
Although I know the disappointment of our athletes,
yet again, is unbearable, we simply cannot
ENROLL
NO
OW
safely hold
our Summer
Games event
in 2021. We
must proceed
with caution
and protect
the next six
months to
hopefully be
back to statelevel
competition
in the
fall. That is
our sincere
hope.”
S t e w a r t
said the org
a n i z a t i o n
will continue
to monitor the
COVID-19 sit-
AC
CCEPTING
APPLICATIONS
classical
uation and
make decisions
as soon
as when it can.
Disappointment
Heather Coffenberry of Obetz, whose sister participates
as an athlete in Special Olympics, expressed disappointment
that the Special Olympics Ohio Summer Games will
not be held.
“My sister is devastated,” said Coffenberry. “This is two
years in a row it has been cancelled. Why did they decide
to cancel the event so early this year when it was not
scheduled to be held until June? High schools are planning
to hold proms and graduations and other things are reopening.
Our athletes are not being given a chance to compete.
Some of them have already received their vaccinations.”
Importance of Special Olympics
Hilty said Special Olympics is important to the athletes
and their families.
“I am a parent of an athlete as well as the coordinator
of the program,” said Hilty. “I think that the sense of
belonging is very
important to the
athletes. They get a
feeling of accom-
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HRISTIAN
SCHOOL
PRESCHOOL
LOYALTY
Y HONOR
HONESTY
GRA
ATITUDE
GRA
Y COMPASS SION ENDURANCE
DEDICATION C
Grovepo ort, OH | mcseaglesoh.org
Photo courtesy of Groveport Special Olympics
Pictured here is the Groveport Special
Olympics 4x100 relay team that won a silver
medal at a past Special Olympics
Ohio State Summer Games. The athletes
are: (front row) Nick Zungri and Austin
Van Almsick; (back row) Jordan Wooden
and Sophie Coffenberry.
plishment during
the different sports
that we offer year
round. Our program
also has a very
strong family feel to
it. We all look out
for each other and
everyone cheers for
all of the athletes.
We also have several
events throughout
the year for the
families that are not
sports related that
help to bring us
together.”
Information
Call Penny and
Cassandra Hilty at
(614) 395-8992 or
395-6640 for local
Special Olympics
information.