Volunteers credited as keepers of the flame for Special Olympics in the Twin Cities
NORMAL (25News Now) - Thousands of Special Olympians are in the Twin Cities for the 2025 Summer Games.
It’s the largest Special Olympics Illinois sporting event, and the state level competition for these seven sports: track and field, traditional and unified bocce, powerlifting, soccer, swimming, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics.
Organizers said more than 3,600 athletes are competing, and in some cases braving the extreme heat. However, it’s the volunteers that make sure such a big event runs smoothly.
“We are so thankful for our volunteers locally, and we have volunteers that play key roles that travel in from all parts of the state,” said Carolyn Cronin, who’s director of coaching and health services for Special Olympics Illinois. “We actually have a key volunteer for swimming that flew in from Florida, so it’s awesome to see volunteers coming back year after year.”
In all, Special Olympics Illinois has more than 1,200 volunteers helping at this weekend’s event.
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