Community Highlight: Garden City’s Local Special Olympics Team, the Tigers

Our Very Own Special Olympics Team

Occasionally, our office will financially support or volunteer at a nonprofit event, and in December, we helped pay for the photo at the Garden City Tigers Special Olympics team’ s dance. We wanted to highlight the team, so we interviewed Susan Wright-Hendershot, the Local Special Olympic Coordinator. Read on to hear about this fun group. 

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Interview

1) Can you explain to the audience what the Garden City Tigers/Special Olympics is?

It is a program for people with disabilities that allows them to participate in athletic events.  Our program starts at age 8 and they must have a physical from their doctor, so they can safely participate.  We have adaptive basketball, track & field, adaptive softball, adaptive tennis, adaptive volleyball, and bowling.  In some sports, we are able to participate in regional tournaments and/or State tournaments.  The adaptive sports are in partnership with the Garden City Recreation Commission.  

I thought it would be fun to start having dances
for anyone in the community with disabilities, so they have some events to look forward to and to enjoy.

2) How long has it been around in the local community?

Special Olympics started in Garden City about 32 years ago.

3) How did you get involved with coordinating the dances for the Garden City Tigers and the Special Olympics?

I took over being the Local Special Olympic Coordinator about three years ago.  I thought it would be fun to start having dances for anyone in the community with disabilities, so they have some events to look forward to and to enjoy.  We have them every other month, starting with Valentine’s Day.  Different agencies in the community help to sponsor these dances.  We also ask for volunteers to help with decorating, serving snacks and drinks, and cleaning up. 

4) In your opinion, what value does the Special Olympics have for the individuals who participate?

It teaches them the same skills as people that play regular sports.  Teamwork, compassion, pride, making new friends, trust, confidence, increased self-esteem, and helping them stay physically active. They have their own oath: “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” You can also ask to see their medals they have won over the years as they take great pride in showing them off. 

They have their own oath: “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

5) Tell us a bit about how the dances help support the Garden City Tigers?

They kind of go hand in hand.  The Garden City Elks Lodge lets us use their building at no charge since they are a supporter of Special Olympics.  By advertising that anyone can attend that has disabilities, it gets the word out about Special Olympics, and when more comfortable participating, they may join our team. 

6) What do you think is the greatest benefit for those who attend the dances?

It is a safe and fun activity that people with disabilities can do in the community.  They always look forward to the next one.  They get to see their friends and hang out just like other people do.  They want to be treated the same as everyone else but are not always accepted at all functions by everyone.  They make new friends, see old friends, and have a great time doing it.

It is a great organization that treats people with different abilities with dignity and respect.

7) How can our patients get involved?

Anyone can volunteer to help with Special Olympics or our dances.  For Special Olympics, they must do an online class and go through a background check, and those can be found at ksso.org.  They can also follow our Facebook page at Garden City Tigers—Special Olympics Kansas. 

8) Tell us anything else that you want our audience to know about the Special Olympics?

It is a great organization that treats people with different abilities with dignity and respect.

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What Next?

As you can see from the interview, the Garden City Tigers is a group of people who play sports, but more importantly, its a fun group that gets together to make friends, learn teamwork, and increase their self-esteem. Please, visit their website to learn more about the Special Olympics and/or how to get involved with them. 

Special thanks to Susan Wright-Hendershot for graciously participating in this interview for our blog.