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Aim high!

By Staff Sgt. Courtney Richardson, 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published January 30, 2012

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SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Volunteers from the 4th Fighter Wing assisted the Goldsboro community during a three-day event at the Goldsboro YMCA from Jan. 24 through 26.

Approximately 90 Airmen and dependents assisted more than 250 participants during the Wayne County Special Olympics basketball games.

The Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. There are about 50,000 events that take place annually around the world.

An individual qualifies to participate in the Special Olympics participation if they are identified with an intellectual disability by an agency or professional. Intellectual disabilities include not just Down Syndrome but also Fragile X Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and various developmental disabilities such as autism. There are some Special Olympics athletes who may also have a physical disability but this alone doesn't qualify them to participate in the program.

Due to the growing number of participants in this county, Special Olympic events take three days, which accommodates the adult population along with elementary, middle and high school students, and requires additional assistance.

"We love the support from the base, [the Airmen] always want to be involved" said Deborah Walderman, Wayne County Special Olympics committee member. "They are always mature, respectful and responsible adults so we never have to worry about problems with behavior."

Most of the Airmen fill one-on-one roles. They escort the groups from one activity to the next, facilitate the activity or are time and score keepers. Most importantly the Airmen support the athletes.

"We encourage the kids quite a bit," said Master Sgt. Christopher Nash, 4th Fighter Wing NCO in charge of wing plans and volunteer coordinator from Atlanta. "Our goal is to enable them to have fun and do their best. We are their biggest cheerleaders."

The games provide the athletes an opportunity to gain self-confidence, social competence, greater athletic skills, higher self esteem and the chance to have fun and friendly competition with their peers. Along with having fun with their peers, the athletes also show off their talents to the Airmen.

"Being a part of this event lets people know that we aren't just here as a military base but we are also people here to support the community, because they support us," said Senior Airman John-Michael Cobb, 334th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief from Greenville, S.C."I would definitely do this again because its fun to hang out with the kids and it gives us an opportunity to teach them how to be active in their daily lives and how to have fun with it."
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