Contact: Jenni Brockman Nine St. Margaret's National Honor Society students recently served as volunteer workers at the 2000 Winter Special Olympics held at Wintergreen Ski Resort, January 10-11. Although individual SMS students have participated in previous years, this represents the first year St. Margaret's National Honor Society officially sponsored the annual Special Olympics community service project.
Telephone: 804-443-3357 (w); 804-443-3357 (h)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SMS Sends Nine Volunteers to Help
With Special Olympics at Wintergreen
2000 Wintergreen Special Olympics Volunteers - (back row, from l.) Sara Pirtle, Katie Farmer, Carver Weakley, Jeong Min Kim; (middle, from l.) Sarah Muller, Claire Stephenson, Heather Gilbert, Bo Hammond, Yin Chien Hou, Ginny Moncure; (front) faculty sponsors ViAnn Farmer and Sue Saunders.
SMS student participants in this year's event were (previous years of individual service appear in parentheses): Bo Hammond, Ginny Moncure and Sarah Muller (1) of Tappahannock; Katie Farmer (3) of Millers Tavern, Heather Gilbert of Raphine, Yin Chien Hou of Taipei, Taiwan, Jeong Min Kim of Seoul, South Korea, Sara Pirtle of Champlain and Carver Weakley (2) of Montross.
Athletic Director Sue Saunders served as a co-sponsor with Mrs. Farmer and helped chaperone the group. Each girl contributed 12 to 15 hours of service over the course of the two-day event. Volunteers worked to provide a healthy interactive atmosphere between handicapped competitors and non-handicapped event organizers and supporters. The primary focus of the volunteers' efforts was to make the Year 2000 Special Olympics event successful; however, several of the girls possess novice "snowboarder" bruises as proof that they found time to hit the slopes themselves.
The Special Olympics sponsors a year-round, national program of competitive sports and athletic events for handicapped children and adults. Athletes train rigorously throughout the year in order to compete in events patterned after those of the Olympic Games. Individual sponsored events at varied competition levels are held annually in different regions of the country. These sporting events are designed to help incorporate people afflicted with mental retardation into mainstream society under conditions where they are accepted, respected, and given a chance to become useful and productive citizens. Competitive events held during the Wintergreen meet ranged from novice athletes testing their skills in the "slide and glide" to advanced skiers participating in slalom racing. During the competition, students filled dual roles as both coaches and cheerleaders. The two-day event concluded with an awards ceremony where the athletes were presented medals and ribbons.
"The Special Olympics symbolizes achievement and service. Accordingly, SMS is honored to be one of two Virginia high schools to send volunteers to work with competing athletes," says Headmistress Margaret R. Broad. "Students from our most prestigious honor society [the National Honor Society] were selected to represent the school. These students have demonstrated both 'high-level' achievement ability and interest in participating in local community service projects." "My Special Olympian, Cleatra, was 19. She won a gold medal in the slide and glide...and I really love her," replied SMS Student Body President Sara Pirtle via e-mail when asked about this year's trip. "Every year, we leave St. Margaret's campus to return two days later inspired and with a totally new perspective," added senior Carver Weakley, a fourth-year volunteer. "We come back motivated and ready to make a fresh impact through participation in local community service projects. Other students see our enthusiasm and also become interested in community service, which is great."
St. Margaret's School is an Episcopal day and boarding high school for girls, grades 8-12. For admissions information or to set up a tour contact Kim McDowell, Director of Admission, at 443-3357. Visit the school's internet web site, http://www.sms.org, to learn more.
