Fueling Dreams

BY CHELSEA JENSEN

WEST HAWAII TODAY

cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com

Special Olympics West Hawaii, despite a challenging economy, has added another delegation of athletes making its annual fundraising events even more important.

The nonprofit organization now boasts a roster of 50 athletes spanning from North Kohala to Ka’u, said Area Director Dave Ross. Recently, five athletes hailing from the Kohala districts joined the local Special Olympics affiliate.

“We are growing and will continue to grow even in this challenging time because Special Olympics is great for the athletes, families and the community,” Ross said. “The last thing that we want to do, especially in a time like this, is underfund the program. We want to keep it growing.”

To ensure ample funding and continued opportunities for an increasing number of athletes, Ross said the organization has planned an array of fundraising events aimed at developing a stronger connection between the community and Special Olympics West Hawaii.

“In order to fund a growing program we need to expand our fundraising efforts to get the community more involved,” he said. “If more people get to see and we can bring awareness to what we do, that’s when good things happen because this is a 100-percent community-driven program.”

In line with that effort, athletes, volunteers, Hawaii Police Department officers and Auto Body Hawaii employees spent Thursday filling gas tanks and cleaning windshields at the Queen Kaahumanu Highway Tesoro with the hope of raising money to support the nonprofit’s 50 athletes in their pursuit of state Special Olympics titles.

Tesoro hosted the one-day fundraising event at 14 gas stations on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island to raise money for Special Olympics, a year-round program of sports training and competition for those with disabilities. The Queen Kaahumanu Highway gas station knocked off 20 cents per gallon on all gas grades, including ethanol-free gas, Ross said.

Next up on the organization’s list of community events to raise funds is a “Hele-On Bus Pull” slated for April 21 at Keauhou Shopping Center and a “Swinging for Special Olympics” golf tournament June 9 at the Kona Country Club’s Alii Mountain Course.

The events will bring together teams of community members, athletes and volunteers, Ross said. He also added that Special Olympics West Hawaii is looking for teams and sponsors for both fundraisers.

All money raised provides West Hawaii athletes with equipment, funds coach certification and training costs, and helps cover travel costs when athletes compete on Oahu, Ross said.

That all costs about $1,000 per athlete to be covered by an organization operating on about $50,000 a year, he said.

For more information or to donate to Special Olympics West Hawaii, contact Ross at 345-1344 or visit sowh.org.