Neighbor News
Special Olympics Open 2018 IE Bocce Ball Competition With A Bang
Athletes, fans, volunteers, and staff from around the IE joined forces to create a fun and energetic Special Olympics Bocce Ball Competition
This past Saturday 362 athletes and 125 coaches traveled from around Southern California to compete in the 2018 Inland Empire Bocce Ball Competition. The competition coordinated by Program Specialist, Stacy Fish, was a laughter and fun filled event for all! It’s the seventh year that the Lake Elsinore Storm Stadium has partnered with the Special Olympics of Southern California, Inland Empire chapter to host the event and provide athletes with an exceptional field to play on!
Thirty-nine teams were placed into different competition divisions and competed to win bronze, silver, or gold at the games. As teams were competing, smiles and laughter made their way both on and off the field as the Lake Elsinore Storm mascot, Thunder or “The Big Green Dog", danced and interacted with players, fans, volunteers, and staff on the field and in the stands! Aside from the generous smooches given by this energetic pooch, several Fan in the Stand volunteers brought ear to ear smiles to athletes as well with their encouraging posters and positive affirmations!
Brianna Whitlinger, a senior at Cornerstone Christian School in Wildomar, volunteered for the special olympics for the very first time as a part of a National Honor Society outing. Whitlinger marveled, “Volunteering for this program has changed my life in so many different aspects. God has opened my eyes and has given me new friends and new memories I will be able to cherish and hold on to.”
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Special Olympics Inland Empire enriches the lives of more than 1,600 athletes with intellectual disabilities and their communities through sports, education, and athlete health. Special Olympics Inland Empire is one of nine regional programs of Special Olympics Southern California and offers year-round sports training and competitions for athletes in all of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. To learn more about the organization, donate and or find volunteer opportunities, please visit www.sosc.org/ie.
Photo taken by Samantha Cantos
