VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS ORGANIZERS OF ANNUAL EVENT SEEK RACE TIMERS, SCOREKEEPERS AND 'HUGGERS'.Byline: Daily News 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, - Organizers of the third annual 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. Spirit Games Competition scheduled for May 15 in Santa Clarita are running woefully woe·ful also wo·ful adj. 1. Affected by or full of woe; mournful. 2. Causing or involving woe. 3. Deplorably bad or wretched: short of volunteers and have put out a plea for help. The local Special Olympics chapter will host about 1,000 athletes from across Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, at the competition, to be held at various locations across the 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. . This year's competition, ``The Spirit of Inspiration,'' will be emceed by television reporter Rick Chambers and will feature Special Olympians, developmentally disabled participants ranging in age from 8 to 80. Athletes will compete in basketball, boccie boccie or bocci or bocce (from Italian bocce, “balls”) Game of Italian origin, similar to bowls. It is played on a long, narrow, packed-clay court enclosed with boarded ends and sides. , swimming, track and field, tennis and golf, and travel from San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. , Bakersfield, Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley and Santa Barbara to compete. The boccie (Italian lawn bowling) and swimming will be held at Newhall Park; tennis at Placerita Junior High and Hart High; basketball in the gyms at Hart High, Placerita and the Newhall Boys & Girls Club; track and field at Hart or Placerita; and golf at Vista Valencia Golf Course. ``Our athletes inspire us as they participate in Special Olympics. Each athlete is a winner even if they don't come in first place,'' said boccie Head Coach Bob Copeland. Approximately 600 volunteers are needed to assist with set-up May 14 and a variety of activities on competition day. Volunteer chores including holding stopwatches during swim and track races; scorekeeping for basketball, tennis and boccie games; serving breakfast and lunch to about 1,800 people; and working in concession stands. One of the most rewarding volunteer opportunities is to be a ``hugger'' or a ``cheerer.'' These individuals wave pompons as they wait for athletes at the finish line and give them a hug or a ``high five'' before escorting them to the award area where they receive their medals and ribbons. Youth groups can volunteer to be huggers or cheerers, but other volunteers need to be at least 16. Adult volunteers will be given lunch and T-shirts to wear for the day. Volunteers must fill out application forms listing where they choose to work and when they are available. These applications are due to the Special Olympics office by Wednesday. Opening Ceremonies will be held at 9 a.m. at either Hart High or Newhall Park. An Olympic Village with inflatable games, carnival activities, clowns, jugglers and music will be at the park. To request a volunteer application, call the Special Olympics office at (661) 253-2121 or e-mail santaclarita(at)sosc.org. |
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