MIDDLEBURY — Special Olympics Addison County received a generous grant from the Middlebury Maple Run 2018 to help provide an opportunity for 65 athletes to show their abilities. According to Jim Wacker, Area Coordinator for Special Olympics Addison County, the organization received a $1,000 grant from the Maple Run grant program.
“The grant will help athletes who have trained hard in Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Snowshoeing, Basketball, Bocce, Golf, Track, and Bowling with the opportunity to attend state wide competitions. Many of these athletes would not have exercise and social opportunities without Special Olympics,” according to Wacker.
Special Olympics Addison County’s dedicated volunteer coaches and support people provide the athletes with the opportunity to not only benefit from exercise, but also develop necessary social skills to be productive members of the community. It was not that many years ago, those intellectual and cognitively disabled citizens did not enjoy the opportunities to be productive members of the community. The athletes, coaches, and parents wish to offer their sincere thank you to the Middlebury Maple Run, which has dedicated itself to the annual fundraising event for Addison County nonprofits.”
The Middlebury Maple Run grant will allow the program to continue to provide opportunities for the 65 athletes and sustain the program to for future athletes. The athletes participated in the annual summer games held in Burlington on June 2 and 3.