Special Olympics bring Alaskans together on JBER

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ty-Rico Lea
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson hosted the 7th Annual Special Olympics Bowling Tournament, bringing 236 athletes to the Polar Bowl bowling facility, Friday through Sunday.

The three-day tournament brought representativies of seven Alaskan communities to the bowling center: Anchorage, central Kenai Peninsula, Homer, Juneau, Kodiak, Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Tanana Valley.

Each individual bowler brought his or her own talents and techniques.
Bowlers were divided into seven squads and each bowled nine games resulting in 2,124 games bowled.

"The event helps break down stereotypes and focus on one's natural human abilities," said Jim Balamaci, president and CEO of Alaska's Special Olympics Organization.
In 1962 Eunice Kennedy Shriver had an idea - inviting young people with intellectual disabilities to a summer day camp she hosted in her backyard.

The idea grew, and in July 1968 the 1st International Special Olympics Summer Games were held at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.

More than 1,000 people with intellectual disabilities from 26 U.S. states and Canada competed in track and field and swimming.

Now, the Special Olympics encompass more than 30 Olympic-type individual and team sports.

Professional-bowler Shawn Raemaeker, who attended the tournament, said the Special Olympics gave him an opportunity to compete with others that are likely on a whole other competitive level.

"It's the best way to make friends; friends who share my interest as well as my handicaps," he said.

Bowlers in the tournament echo Raemaeker's sentiments, enjoying the competition and socialization.

"The Special Olympics is important to me because it brings out the best in all of us," said Larry "Howard" Bonfiglio, 32, of the Homer bowling team.

Matthew Maillelle has participated in several other Special Olympics sports such as hockey, basketball and golf, says he enjoys coming to these events.

"I get to meet a lot of people and build confidence," said Maillelle, whose highest bowling score in one game is 187. "I wish good luck to all the bowlers and just have fun."

Hailing from Anchorage, Lucinda Knopps, 42, of the Anchorage bowling team, says she enjoys all of the Special Olympics' games and has been bowling for two years. This is her first year going to state.

Throughout the weekend, over 300 volunteers gave their time as lane monitors, pit monitors, awards presenters, medics, food servers, transportation escorts, bus drivers and more.

At the end of the tournament more than 600 awards were presented while everyone was glad to have stocked up on some bowling "turkeys" right before Thanksgiving Day.