ATHLETES' REWARD; COMPETITORS, FAMILIES JOIN IN SPECIAL FETE.Byline: Stacy Brown Daily News Staff Writer Although Kevin Auer's trophy shelf is well decorated dec·o·rate tr.v. dec·o·rat·ed, dec·o·rat·ing, dec·o·rates 1. To furnish, provide, or adorn with something ornamental; embellish. 2. , the 12-year-old Special Olympics Special Olympics International sports program for people with intellectual disability. It provides year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type summer and winter sports for participants. athlete finds most of his joy in the camaraderie ca·ma·ra·der·ie n. Goodwill and lighthearted rapport between or among friends; comradeship. [French, from camarade, comrade, from Old French, roommate; see comrade. he feels when competing with others. Auer's father, Pete, said the Valencia youth simply loves being around the other athletes. ``He gets to go out and run around and have fun, and I get to run around after him,'' Pete Auer said. The Auers joined 23 other Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. Special Olympics athletes and their families at Valencia Meadows Park on Saturday to celebrate the end of another season. Complete with a dunk tank A dunk tank, also known as a dunking booth or dunking machine, is an attraction mainly used in funfairs, fundraisers, and personal parties. Basically, a dunk tank consists of a large tank of water, over which a seat is suspended. and treats donated by several area restaurants, the city hosted the afternoon-long celebration for some of its most gifted athletes. ``The city and the community have been great,'' said coach Pete Nickles. ``The city provided the park, and the community businesses have given some of the athletes jobs and have really made them feel they are a part of the community.'' Nickles said each year the athletes are treated to a season-end bash. Last year all were taken to a JetHawks game in Lancaster and a carnival carnival, communal celebration, especially the religious celebration in Catholic countries that takes place just before Lent. Since early times carnivals have been accompanied by parades, masquerades, pageants, and other forms of revelry that had their origins in . ``These guys are incredible people, and the families are so supportive,'' Nickles said. Diane Latner spoke with lots of pride as she discussed her 11-year-old athlete son Ryan. ``The excitement and joy on his face when he is competing makes me so excited and proud,'' Latner said. Ryan Latner, a track-and-field participant for two years, practices once a week for two hours when preparing for the Olympics, his mother said. ``We've even (practiced) in the rain,'' Latner said. Officials said the beauty of the competition is the athletes are sometimes unaware they are even competing. ``The thought of wanting to win is not there. They just want to participate,'' Latner said. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1--Color) Josh Cioffi, 9, aims at the dunk tank during a Special Olympics picnic in Valencia. (2--Color) Eric Eriksson, left, and his son Brent fill their plates at the Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, Special Olympics season-ending picnic at Valencia Meadows Park on Saturday. Twenty-four athletes and their families took part in the celebration which is held each year. Terri Thuente/Daily News |
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