PERSPIRATION and INSPIRATION

On the Special Olympics Games day, nervous faces were at both ends of the100 metre track. The starter gun echo reverberated around the almost empty Porritt Stadium in Hamilton. Closer and closer they came. Just imagine a 90kg athlete running at you. Your job is to stop them running past you or over you. If you don’t slow them down and then stop them, they will continue around the track, smiling all the way! 
My Year 7/8 class at Gordonton Primary School were experiencing a very different version of kindness. They were helping young people and adults with intellectual disabilities participate in this event assigned to us. We were invited to help every year by Neil, the school caretaker. 
The class were keen to help, but naturally had a lot of questions. I used to end my talk with them by saying they were about to possibly experience a life changing event. 
Advice was given to work in pairs and look after the athletes and each other. We had lots of laughs and at the end of the day my exhausted students gained a new appreciation of accepting people and including them as they are. Our challenges on the day pale in comparison to the daily challenges faced by the athletes. 
Inspiration can take many forms from all sorts of folks. I love this quote on the Special Olympics website, ‘Let me win, but if I can not win let me be brave in the attempt’.

POINTS TO PONDER
You learn a lot about yourself and people you help, when involved in activities that take us out of our comfort zones. 
You learn a lot about inclusive communities too. Helping people to live normal and productive lives benefits us all.
Consider being a volunteer with Special Olympics, Waikato or in other towns and cities. Seeing the enjoyment makes the effort worthwhile.


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