April 3, 2014
Inaugural Special Olympics Day at the Rec a success
On March 29, the inaugural Special Olympics Day at the Rec was put on by the K-State student National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, or NIRSA, club. This event was a big accomplishment with a total of 35 Special Olympic athletes participating along with 18 student rec employees volunteering to make this event possible.
The association is an organization that supports leaders in collegiate recreation.
"Rec Services was excited to host the event put on by NIRSA for Special Olympics," said Steve Martini, recreation services director. "I was happy that the event was a success for everyone involved."
The day consisted of multiple activities including relay races, volleyball, basketball, bowling and Zumba. The event followed with a surprise visit from Willie and the athletes were delighted.
"Working with the Special Olympics Athletes is truly a rewarding experience," said Hayley Lorenzini, senior in kinesiology. "It is something that I am very passionate about. The love for working with Special Olympics inspired me with the idea to bring this event to the rec. We could not have done this event with all of our wonderful volunteers and sponsors, which include J Salon, Manhattan iRepair, Wildcat Nutrition and HyVee."
This event connected K-State's recreation services with the Manhattan community.
"It was truly a heart-warming experience for everyone that was there that day," said Lauren Billinger, vice president of the K-State club. "Our NIRSA club is looking forward to carrying this on for many years to come."