BLUE RIBBON DAY: SPECIAL-NEEDS ATHLETES EARN RECOGNITION, SKILLS

Anyone looking for a little sunshine Saturday only had to attend the Special Olympics held at Abe Stuber Track and Field Complex at Southeast Missouri State University.

About 350 mentally or developmentally disabled athletes competed in the Southeast Area Missouri Special Olympics. Their smiles and enthusiasm shone like beacons as they toed the line at the beginning of a race or stood proudly at the podiums to receive their colored ribbons after competing.

"This gives them the opportunity to compete that they might not otherwise get," said Penny Blandford, Southeast area director for the Special Olympics. "High school athletes get to compete all the time, but these people love this because it's the one day they know they'll get to compete. Just because they're mentally handicapped doesn't mean their physically handicapped."

Blandford said the athletes ranged in age from eight to about 60 years old. They competed in 13 events, and the top six competitors in each heat received ribbons.

"We divide the athletes into heats based on their age, sex and training scores," she said. "Everybody wins and gets a ribbon, and they love it."

About 350 volunteers were on hand to make the day run smoothly by doing everything from parking cars to running races with athletes needing assistance.

Jay Park, a teacher from Fredericktown, who has given a decade of service to the Special Olympics, was honored Saturday as the volunteer of the year for the Southeast Area Olympics. He first became active in the program as a teacher in Illinois but continued to work with athletes when he moved to the Fredericktown school district.

"Each athlete, whether they actually win first or last place, they feel like they're winners," Park said. "They're happy when they compete, and even if they don't win, they smile and go congratulate the other athletes. I've coached in high school, and a lot of times it's not like that."

Josh Crowell, a student at Southeast Missouri State University, said this was the first in several years he has volunteered during the Olympics. "It's an exciting time," he said. "It's worth the effort of staying all day and braving the weather."

Crowell cheered loudly as Matt Aufdenberg, the Parkview State School athlete he'd lifted weights and practiced with for two months, won a first-place blue ribbon in the 50-yard dash.

"I won a blue ribbon," said Aufdenberg as he pulled on Crowell's hat. Crowell's response was a proud smile and an answering tug as he and Aufdenberg headed for the bleachers to wait for the softball event.

"This is always a good time for everybody," said Fredericktown coach Anna Berkbuegler. "I haven't yet brought an athlete or a volunteer who didn't leave here better because they came to this."