BY KYRA KINZLER
Staff Writer

For many Special Olympics club members, helping run the county Summer Games each May has affected their lives in ways they never could imagine.

“Being a member of Special Olympics gives me excellent opportunities to make a difference in the athletes’ lives, and I able to give back to my community,” junior Terrence Ahlin said.

Ahlin is on the club’s executive board, which allows him to connect with the many of the athletes and their families.

“I enjoyed being able to rotate to the different events and answer people’s questions during the Games,” Ahlin said.

Cheers and laughter could be heard throughout the stadium in early May, as participants, family members, and volunteers came together for another successful Allegheny County Special Olympics Summer Games.

The county Summer Games program has been organized by Baldwin for more than 25 years. Club sponsors Tim Laughlin, Eric Jankoski , and Allison Levy put the event together, with help from Special Olympic Club members.

This year, 400 to 500 athletes and 500 to 800 volunteers helped make that day memorable for so many families.

During the day, there were multiple track and field events for the participants. When athletes were not racing, they were able to play games and dance to the DJ on the practice field.

After each event, the winners received a medal and got their pictures taken on the podium by their family members.

“Everything is a proud moment for me and hearing about how everyone enjoyed themselves makes it all worthwhile,” Laughlin said.

Many of the volunteers have been involved with Special Olympics for years.

“I have participated in Special Olympics since my freshman year. It takes a lot of work and dedication to get everything organized,” senior Megan Staab said.

Numerous memories are created by students who involve themselves in the club.

“My favorite memory from the Summer Games is giving the awards to the winners after each event,” senior Tori Dedig said.

Having fun and making new memories is a common goal for the club. Letting everyone have the chance to participant in the track and field events makes working so hard worthwhile, Staab said.

Ahlin said the excitement of the day is contagious.

“My favorite memory from the Summer Games was during the opening, after they said, `Let the games begin,’ one athlete from Baldwin started to scream because he was so excited. That made me excited for the whole day to start,” Ahlin said.