An Awesome Day for Ashland Blazer’s Special Olympics
Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
On Friday, April 14, 2023, Ashland Blazer High School held its annual Special Olympics on the school’s soccer field. This event started about 10 years ago and has been going strong ever since. It is because of the generosity, compassion, and the selfless individuals who make this event possible that this event is such success. Kids from all around showed up to compete in various events and take part in something that is not only essential to the growth of our community but also provides a plethora of opportunities for them. Blazers Youth Service Center played an integral role in making this day so special for everyone involved. Brittney Brown, Youth Service Center Coordinator, gave us a little insight on just one of the many activities that was planned for the day, “The Youth Service Center is always excited to be a part of this special day. We always like to provide the children with a sand art activity. We have baseballs, soccer balls, and footballs for them to fill up and just have a chance to be creative. It is really important to have events like this because it not only helps to get the student morale up, but it also gives everyone in the community a chance to come together and just enjoy the day.”
Vanessa Akers, Special Education Teacher at Poage Elementary School, has been a teacher for over thirty years. “We started the Special Olympics ten years ago while I was teaching at Poage Elementary School.” Akers went on to share just how she felt events such as these are so vital to the growth of our community. “The main reason I think events like these are so important for our community is because we need all of our students to recognize that they are winners, and that being a winner doesn’t always mean coming in first place. One of the most important things to remember is that all these kids are a part of our community, and we need our community members to understand this. Events such as the Special Olympics help to educate others on the importance of making sure that everyone feels included. These kids have so much to teach us. We just have to be willing to give them a chance.”
Akers stated that had it not been for the volunteers, parents, students, community members and businesses who helped to make this event a reality that it would not be the success it is today. “Our local people really stepped up this year. These sponsors fed this entire group. It cost us nothing, and they deserve some recognition for that. We couldn’t have done it without them,” declared Akers. This year’s sponsors included: Ironton McDonalds, Tipton’s, Double Drizzle, My Dad’s Pizzeria, 13th Street Little Caesars, Bombshells and Ales, Dominoes, Donatos, 29th Street B & T Deli, John Clark, JJ and Kathy Hicks, KDMC, Blackburn Giovanni’s, Moe’s, Winchester Ave KFC, Texas Roadhouse, Summit Subway, The Outback, BelleFonte, 13th Street Tim Hortons, Cheddar’s, and Pepsi.
