Lending a Hand at the Special Olympics

Destination: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Raleigh, NC is an ideal spot for anyone who has an interest in working with people who have special needs.

Special Olympics North America offers nearly 70 programs and global chapters on six continents. You can get involved close to home, wherever you may live, or if your travels take you to Raleigh, North Carolina, you can volunteer at the main North American chapter. There are ways to get involved year-round, not just for the annual Olympics event. The mission of Special Olympics is to provide sports training and athletic competition in Olympic-like sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

If you think you know what it is to be inspired, just wait. North Carolina has more than 38,000 Special Olympics athletes statewide, and the national office here supports more than 544,000. Volunteering helps further the goal of helping every person become productive, accepted, and respected in his or her community. Volunteers dive in to assist running the organization, the events, and the coaching programs.

If you're in the area for the actual games, you can be involved in athlete and team support, fundraising, setup, cleanup, information, and several other day-ofevent tasks. But no worries if your vacation doesn't allow you to be here for that -- there are competitions throughout the year. Be part of the volunteer team making it all happen at state-level events like the Summer Games, Fall Games, Midsummer Tournament, Basketball & Cheerleading Championship, Winter Games-Ice Skating, and Winter Games-Alpine Skiing. All of these need you and your fellow volunteers behind the scenes coordinating events. Coaching and sport development are also incredible volunteer opportunities (for longer time commitments). There are similar opportunities at the state level of competition throughout the country and indeed the world.

There are no travel packages sponsored by the organization, so you'll arrange your own visit. If not in North Carolina, look into opportunities wherever you may travel, work, or live. Motivated volunteers are needed by each international organization to give athletes across the globe the opportunities to "develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community."

Your Next Step: Special Olympics North Carolina (tel. 919/785-0699; www.sonc.net) and Special Olympics (800/700-8585; www.specialolympics.org for international and countrywide chapters). No arranged travel opportunities through the organization. When you know your plans and schedule, find the chapter nearest your locale to become a hero for the athletes.

Don't Miss: In a place like Raleigh, there's always a big event or celebration going on, and in a place like the JC Raulston Arboretum, there's always something in bloom. More than 8 acres and 5,000 species of plants make this garden an acclaimed national treasure. Enjoy the rose garden, with more than 100 types of roses, the arboretum with its special Southern magnolias, the Klein-Pringle White Garden, and other special zones for meandering among the botanic beauty.

Official Tourism Website: www.visitraleigh.com