Special Olympics event hosted by Plum Borough School District

Plum Borough School District hosted its first multi-district Special Olympics event on May 19 at the high school stadium.

Special Olympics Pennsylvania provides year-round athletic training and competition in 21 sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities, providing them with continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness skills, express courage, and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other athletes and the community.

The origins of Special Olympics date back to Camp Shriver, founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of President John F. Kennedy, in the early 1960s. Formally, Special Olympics started in 1968.

Special Olympics Pennsylvania offers more than 300 competitions for 16,000 athletes in 54 local programs for athletes ages 8 or older. Unlike other sporting events, there is no charge to participate or attend a Special Olympics competition for the competitor, family or spectator.

SOPA operates on a tri-season basis of winter, summer and fall. Athletes are eligible to progress from local to sectional to state to national or even international competition.

Pennsylvania’s Summer Games are scheduled for June 2-4 at Penn State University, and the Winter Games will be in February at Seven Springs.

For more information, visit specialolympicspa.org.