After the opening ceremonies — which included the Special Olympics torch being carried into the event by members of the St. Mary’s County Special Olympics soccer team who will compete in Athens, Greece, at the World Games later this year — the games were ready to begin. As they went to their respective events, another special part of Special Olympics became very evident.

I’m talking about the volunteers.

This year, more that 200 military, civilian, and contractor personnel from NAS Patuxent River helped staff events, register personnel, escort athletes, and put together lunches for the event participants. These volunteers came from almost every command onboard the base. As I had a chance to walk around and meet everyone, one thing was evident. You could see how rewarding their work was on their faces. They were there to make a difference in the lives of the special athletes who competed but they also were finding that the athletes were making a difference in their lives as well.

One person who shared their feelings with me was one of the volunteer coordinators, LSC Sandra Frimpong.When asked about her most memorable moment of this year’s event, she shared the following:

‘‘My most memorable moment this year was watching one of the athletes who is blind run the track with a help of a guide. The look on his face at the end of the race was priceless. It is a reward in itself to be part of this great event in the county, but more rewarding to feel good and have fun while helping others achieve their dreams at the same time.”

A rewarding opportunity to help others achieve dreams in a way that produces priceless experiences.

In essence, that’s the special nature of what you can gain from making a difference through Special Olympics. If you would like to volunteer with this fantastic organization, visit their website: http:⁄⁄www.stmarysso.org⁄getting_involved.htm.