HANCOCK COUNTY — The annual trip to the Summer Games is always a highlight of the year for Special Olympics of Hancock County.
This year was no different.
The games, held at Indiana State University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute from June 9–11, provided the athletes with the opportunity to not only compete in their sports but also socialize with old friends, meet new ones, enjoy games and activities, and get free health checkups.
“We have some athletes that every single week they’ll ask me, ‘Are we going to Terre Haute? Are we going to the summer games?’” Special Olympics of Hancock County Assistant County Coordinator & Athlete Leadership Council Chair Rachel Glover said. “It’s definitely one of the highlights of their year.”
Hancock County had 41 athletes compete against counties from all across the state in a variety of sports, such as bowling, swimming, track and field, and volleyball. In total, 2,100 athletes competed from 60 different counties.
Fifteen athletes competed in bowling, 11 in swimming, 11 in volleyball, and four in track and field.
The group took home 33 medals, including seven golds and 21 silvers. Bowlers grabbed eight of the medals and one gold, track and field had 11 medals and two golds, and swimming had 16 total medals and four golds. The volleyball team earned a fourth-place ribbon.
Swimmer Jenni Doninger was one of the athletes to earn a gold medal and left with three total medals. She won the 50-meter freestyle, was second in the 25 back, and was runner-up in the relay B with teammates Gavin Cook, Joe Thacker and Isis Davidson.
“I felt happy and good,” Doninger said. “I was proud of myself because I did it all by myself.”
Davidson won a gold in the 25-meter backstroke, Hunter Chaffee won gold in the 25 fly, and Cooper Hughey won the 50 free.
On the track, Dameco Bluethmann won the 800-meter walk, and Damonta Bluethmann got the gold medal in the standing long jump. The pair each left with a total of three medals. Damonta added silvers in the 50-meter dash and the softball throw, while Dameco got silver as well in the softball throw, and bronze in the 50-meter dash.
In bowling, John Edwards and David Barnes won gold in traditional bowling, and in unified partner bowling, Hancock County grabbed four silver medals.
The accomplishments in the pool, on the track, or at the bowling lanes are always great, but it’s the other events that happen throughout the weekend that make the weekend as special as it is.
Games, activity stations, such as painting, and the various social events are what Doninger and the other athletes really look forward to.
“The main goal is to come and compete in sports, but they also have the opportunity to interact with other athletes from all across the state,” Glover said. “They have time for social interaction that they may not get throughout the year.”
This year’s Summer Games kicked off with the opening ceremonies at ISU’s Hulman Center. Athletes were marched in county by county, and as is done with the Olympic Games, the lighting of the Summer Games cauldron kicked off the weekend.
In ‘Olympic Town,’ events such as a movie night, dance party, and firework show took place when the athletes weren’t competing.
“I really look forward to swimming, staying in the dorms, and the dance and firework show,” Doninger said.
After the second day of competition, the annual victory dance party gave athletes an opportunity to let loose and socialize.
“The dance is my favorite part.” Doninger said, while doing a dance of her own.
Along with the fun and games Olympic Town has to offer, the athletes also get the chance for free health checkups.
Stations set up allow athletes to get free eye exams, dental exams, free pairs of glasses, and more.
Each county is also awarded free shoe tickets. This year, Hancock County was given 16 free pairs of shoes.
Glover added that fundraising events put on throughout the year, and local sponsors help make the trip free for all athletes.
Thirty registered chaperones and volunteers joined the competitors on the trip, while countless more came to support the athletes.
