Khalifah Jamison // Contributing writer
On Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015 at 9:00 am, Phi Delta Theta’s first Special Olympics commenced at the softball fields of Tamiami Park. Phi Delta Theta teamed up with the Florida Special Olympics Miami-Dade branch to host a “Skills Drills” activity day for the participants. This event had a turnout of approximately 46 volunteers and over 200 athletes.
Athletes were bouncing around from station to station and learned the essentials of softball. These essentials include throwing, pitching, hitting, baserunning and catching. Phi Delta Theta made all the arrangements from station set up to funding, while the Florida Special Olympics provided the all-stars.
“Our goal was to provide special needs kids an opportunity to be an athlete and show their potential,” said Nick Kinslow, the community service chairman for Phi Delta Theta.
However, being part of a program that raises awareness for mental, physical and emotional disorders is something that is far from foreign for the Phi Delta Theta community. Just last weekend they participated in Miami’s first annual walk for ALS. According to the ALS Association, ALS is defined as: “a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord”. $68,508.42 was raised at the event to support the fight against Lou Gehrig’s disease–named after a brother of Phi Delta Theta that contracted ALS in 1939.
Although this was the first Special Olympics the fraternity has hosted, they were in close ties with the Florida Special Olympics before this event. The group volunteered at a Florida Special Olympics soccer event last spring. They participated by manning the sign-up stations, the activity stations, and maintenance. According to Kinslow, the fraternity loved and appreciated the objectives of the Special Olympics so much that they reached out to the Florida Special Olympics and asked if they could host an event with them.
Florida Special Olympics replied with an email that went through the Honors College to Nick Kinslow. They accepted the offer and scheduled the event for Oct. 6, 2015.
“We have over 3,500 athletes in the Miami-Dade county area and over 17 different sports. Anytime an organization wants to help our kids have fun and express themselves, we are more than happy to help,” a member from the Florida Special Olympics said.
The event ran until Wednesday, Oct. 7. The athletes played with full force during an intense game of softball against each other. Phi Delta Theta hopes to continue this new tradition by making the Special Olympics an annual event. However, instead of hosting it at the fields of Tamiami, they would like to move it to FIU’s softball fields to facilitate expansion of the event as a whole.
“Providing a loving and caring atmosphere where special needs kids can play and express themselves without disparaging remarks from others is crucial,” said George Nina, the philanthropy chairman for Phi Delta Theta, when explaining why it is necessary for the Special Olympics to continue.
Furthermore, Phi Delta Theta hopes to continue their support for the fight against mental and physical disabilities by hosting an ALS awareness event this upcoming spring. It will be hosted on FIU’s campus and will extend over a period of several days.
Phi Delta Theta looks forward to doing whatever they can do in order improve the lives others and increase awareness in their community.
About Post Author
