Lincoln sees outpouring of volunteer support

For Sarah Leeth, vice president of marketing and communications for the Special Olympics, it is all about the experience. She's been working for the past two years, preparing for the week-long event, and now that it's here she remembers why she's worked so hard.
"It is incredible, I am absolutely blown away," Leeth said. "It's been emotional… But now that the athletes are beginning to arrive, everything is all pulled together, it's an incredible experience, and really something amazing to be a part of."
Leeth said she knew the experience would be rewarding; she's gotten to work with the athletes and organizers, but what has been really exciting is seeing the city of Lincoln, and the entire state of Nebraska, embrace the Special Olympics.
Support for the games is clear with the fact that every single open volunteer position has been filled.
"It didn't even come at the last minute. We did not have to make a big last minute push," said Sarah Van Dalsem, media manager for the Special Olympics. "We were very fortunate in not having to go out and beg people, they just came in the thousands.
Of the 8,000 volunteers for the five-day event, 86 percent of the volunteers with jobs are Nebraskans, according to Van Dalsem. Of the Nebraskan volunteers, 55 percent are from Lincoln. Van Dalsem said she wasn't surprised at the response because Nebraska is ranked fourth in the nation for highest volunteer rates at 37.4 percent of residents, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The remaining 14 percent of volunteers come from all over the nation to attend the games.
"People get so hooked on Special Olympics," Van Dalsem said. "They want to go wherever the games are and they are willing to pay for it themselves to do so."
Patrick Fleming from Colorado, a runner for the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg, has been involved with his state's Special Olympics program for 15 years. He traveled with the torch throughout Nebraska and said the state welcomed the games with "open arms."
"Every little town we went through, everybody just came out, it was truly awesome," Fleming said. "It's kinda neat with the big cities, but the little towns, that's the kicker there, they just came out."
The Special Olympics have had a presence in Nebraska since 1972, when Special Olympics Nebraska was founded. The program now has about 4,000 athletes, 8,000 young athletes, and 5,000 coaches and volunteers who participate in year-round sports training and competition, leadership training, health care screening and school enrichment programs for people with intellectual disabilities, offered at no cost to the athletes.
Despite the 37-year relationship with the state, Sarah Leeth said she thinks hosting the games will bring a lot more attention to the cause.
"I think the games brought a heightened awareness, so I think it's only to just continue to become better and stronger and create more additional resources for our athletes and opportunities," Leeth said. "Ultimately the reason we do it all is to garner greater education and awareness for people with intellectual disabilities, and put on display the true ability that they have."
And the athletes are the ultimate focus.
"Just to see the look on their faces when they win is great," Van Dalsem said, who said this summer has been the best she's ever had. "But just when they're competing and getting recognized for what they're doing… that is what their happy about." Van Dalsem said working with the Special Olympics is the best thing she's ever done in a summer, and she is so inspired by all the athletes, especially during events where the blind compete in track and field. A string or bar is provided for the athlete, so he or she can stay in the provided lane.
"He can't see if he's losing, or if he's winning," Van Dalsem said - just competing.
"For me personally, it's about the athletes. We want to show them the world-class event they deserve," Leeth said. "At the end of the day, we hope that the athletes have an incredible time and memories that last a lifetime."
shannonsmith
@dailynebraskan.com