2017 was the last time Special Olympics Oregon held the Summer State Games and they need help. The Games will be taking place on the Oregon State University campus and surrounding venues in Corvallis, making this a great opportunity for OSU students to volunteer.
Due to restructuring in 2018 and the coronavirus, the event hasn’t been hosted in over six years, according to an email from Julie Lee, the media manager for Special Olympics Oregon.
“We are thrilled that our participation numbers have already grown back to a point where we can host a statewide event to celebrate the incredible training and accomplishments of our athletes,” Lee said.
SOOR is active across the state of Oregon through year-round sporting events and training in 14 different sports over the course of three different sporting seasons. SOOR is involved in roughly 175 schools and every county in the state has a local program where athletes train and compete.
“We use the transformational power of sport for children and adults living with intellectual disabilities to create cultures of inclusion in schools, workplaces and communities; (and) access to quality healthcare, nutrition, fitness and well-being services,” Lee said. “These are experiences which build connection, belonging, a sense of achievement and joy…ensuring Oregon is a place for all people to thrive. For our participants, Special Olympics Oregon is a place that feels like family – we hear that over and over again.”
According to the SOOR website, “Special Olympics Oregon would not exist today, nor be as successful as it is, without the thousands of volunteers who dedicate their time, talents, energy and especially their enthusiasm to making the world a more inclusive and accepting place.”
To sign up, volunteers will need to go through the organization’s website. Volunteer’s roles will be activities such as scoring games and handing out awards to the competitors.
Volunteers can either sign up for a half-day or full-day shift.
The 2024 SOOR Summer State Games in Corvallis will have statewide competition in four sporting events: athletics (track and field) at the OSU Whyte Track Facility, bocce at OSU Student Legacy Park, golf at Trysting Tree Golf Course, and softball at multiple locations on OSU campus along with Sunset Park.
The weekend will also feature special events with various entertainment, interactive experiences, community vendors, along with health and wellness screenings at the OSU Reser Stadium Parker Plaza. There will be a Saturday evening Games Ceremony followed by a “victory dance” inside Reser Stadium.
“Corvallis is a wonderful home to our Summer State Games. We love seeing how the community embraces our athletes,” Lee said. “Whether it’s a hair salon that gives out free haircuts, Jersey Mike’s making sure our athletes get great meals or OSU students and athletes taking pride in being a part of our event.”
For more information on how to get involved with Summer State Games please visit here.
