News

By Dennis Brown

Last week was a busy week for crews responsible for keeping roadways cleared and for residents trying to keep walkways cleared of snow as a winter storm settled into the area, bringing with it near constant snow and temperatures in the teens and single digits.

The storm moved into the area on Monday night and continued to keep the area in sub-freezing temperatures into this week. Lewis County Schools cancelled classes Tuesday through Friday and again yesterday (Monday).

Both LCHS varsity basketball games scheduled for last week were cancelled and numerous church services were called off because of the weather.

Crews working to clear roadways worked around the clock in Lewis County and Vanceburg for most of the week battling the constantly falling snow and extreme temperatures.

The winter weather covered most of the US by the weekend and reached deep into Florida where growers were scrambling to protect their crops from the freezing temperatures.

The National Weather Service is predicting warmer temperatures and some sunshine for this week in Lewis County. Some precipitation is also in the forecast in the form of rain and snow showers.

The weather also resulted in postponing a meeting of the Lewis County Grand Jury last week. Grand Jury members should report Friday, January 15, at 1:00 p.m.

A Songfest of Sacred Music at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Vanceburg was also postponed. The songfest will feature Anita Bowles McAdams and Family, and Diane Wilson.

The songfest has been rescheduled for 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 15, at the church. A spaghetti supper will be served following the concert.

By Dennis Brown

An effort to bring the Special Olympics program to Lewis County is underway by several community members and a meeting has been scheduled to help in that effort.

The meeting will be Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. at the Lewis County Health Department on the AA Highway in Vanceburg.

Organizers are looking for volunteers in all age groups as well as parents, service organizations, coaches and others to assist in getting the Special Olympics organization established in the county and to keep it going.

The group is also planning an Indoor Yard Sale to benefit the local Special Olympics Chapter. It is scheduled for Saturday, February 6, from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Harmany House on Front Street in Vanceburg. Chili and refreshments will be on sale throughout the day.

Those who would like to make a contribution to the event may drop them off during the day of the Indoor Yard Sale or by making arrangements with any committee member beforeheand.

Special Olympics is an international program of year-round sports training and athletic competition for more than one million children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Information available on the Special Olympics Kentucky Website (soky.org) outlines the premises of the organization:

“Special Olympics is founded on the belief that people with intellectual disabilities can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports, adapted as necessary to meet the needs of those special mental and physical limitations.

    “Special Olympics believes that consistent training, with emphasis on physical conditioning, is essential to the development of sports skills, and that competition among those of equal abilities is the most appropriate means of testing these skills, measuring progress and providing incentives for personal growth.

    “Special Olympics believes that through sports training and competition, people with intellectual disabilities benefit physically, mentally, socially and spiritually; families are strengthened; and the community at large, both through participation and observation, is united with people with intellectual disabilities in an environment of equality, respect and acceptance.

    “Special Olympics believes that every person with an intellectual disability who is at least eight years old should have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from sports training and competition.

“Our goal is for all persons with intellectual disabilities to have the chance to become useful and productive citizens who are accepted and respected in their communities.

“The benefits of participation in Special Olympics for people with intellectual disabilities include improved physical fitness and motor skills, greater self-confidence, a more positive self-image, friendships, and increased family support. Special Olympics athletes carry these benefits with them into their daily lives at home, in the classroom, on the job, and in the community. Families who participate become stronger as they learn a greater appreciation of their athlete’s talents. Community volunteers find out what good friends the athletes can be. And everyone learns more about the capabilities of people with intellectual disabilities.

“Special Olympics believes that competition among those of equal abilities is the best way to test its athletes’ skills, measure their progress, and inspire them to grow. Special Olympics believes that its program of sports training and competition helps people with intellectual disabilities become physically fit and grow mentally, socially, and spiritually. Special Olympics believes that consistent training is required to develop sports skills.

“The Spirit of Special Olympics...skill, courage, sharing, and joy-transcends boundaries of geography, nationality, political philosophy, gender, age, race, or religion.

“Special Olympics began in 1968 when Eunice Kennedy Shriver organized the First International Special Olympics Games at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois, USA. The concept was born in the early 1960s when Mrs. Shriver started a day camp for people with intellectual disabilities. She saw that people with intellectual disabilities were far more capable in sports and physical activities than many experts thought. Since 1968, millions of children and adults with intellectual disabilities have participated in Special Olympics.

“In the United States ... Special Olympics Chapters are established in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. About 25,000 communities in the United States have Special Olympics programs. Through the Special Olympics Model School District programs, public school districts include Special Olympics in their physical education curriculum and provide extracurricular and interscholastic sports to elementary and secondary students with intellectual disabilities. The Special Olympics Mega-Cities program coordinates Special Olympics training and competition in schools, community recreation programs, group homes, and institutions in 11 large metropolitan areas.”

To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics, you must be at least eight years old and identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions: intellectual disabilities, cognitive delays as measured by formal assessment, or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delay that require or have required specially-designed instruction.

The program provides year-round training and competition in 30 official sports. By assigning athletes to divisions commensurate with their ability, Special Olympics gives every athlete a reasonable chance to win. Athletes from all divisions may advance to Chapter, National, and World Games.

For athletes with severe disabilities Special Olympics Kentucky offers Developmental Events. This program has been developed for those athletes who, without these events may never be able to compete in Special Olympics.

Special Olympics Competitions are patterned after the Olympic Games. More than 30,000 Games, meets, and tournaments in both summer and winter sports are held worldwide each year. World Games for selected representatives of all programs are held worldwide each year. World Games for selected representatives of all programs are held every two years, alternating between summer and winter.

More than one million volunteers organize and run local Special Olympics programs, serving as coaches, Games officials, drivers, and in many other capacities. Anyone can learn how to participate through the many training programs Special Olympics offers for coaches, officials, and volunteers.

For more information about Special Olympics in Lewis County, or to volunteer, contact Connie Richardson at 606-207-7608.