Volunteers play critical role to the Kendall County Special Olympics

By Erika Wurst for Chronicle Media

Kendall County Special Olympics is entirely self-funded and relies solely on donations and volunteers to run the group’s that serves more than 100 special needs athletes. (Photo courtesy of KCSO)

As the Special Olympics celebrates its 50th year, local members of the Kendall County Special Olympics Family and Friends Organization are reflecting on the group’s past and how the organization continues to thrive.

Entirely self-funded, KCSO relies solely on donations and volunteers to fund and man the group’s more than 100 special needs athletes. It’s an aspect that remains critical to their mission.

Whether local businesses are donating meeting and practices spaces at a discounted cost, or it’s high school students volunteering to be sports coaches, Kendall County has banded together over the last several decades to make sure the county’s special needs athletes are well taken care of.

Marcy Stefaniak is one of the many KCSO volunteers who keeps the organization afloat.

She started volunteering with the Special Olympics nearly 25 years ago when she was the caretaker of several special needs foster children. She began as a volunteer parent, and later transitioned to a coach and KCSO board member.

Since then, Stefaniak’s duties have taken off. She helps fundraise and organize out-of-town athlete trips. She takes care of administrative work, and assures the programs run smoothly.

KSCO board Vice President Lisa Hartman has also lent more than a decade of her life to the Special Olympics. She became involved about 12 years ago when her elementary school-aged child was invited to join KSCO.

Kendall County Special Olympians compete at the track and field meet spring games for region 2 at Marmion Academy in Aurora in April. (Photo courtesy of KCSO)

“It gave him a huge group of friends to socialize with and boosted his confidence,” Hartman said of her son’s experience. As a result, Hartman was hooked and sought ways she could give back.

“We wouldn’t exist without our volunteers,” she said.

While many volunteers are family members or friends of special needs athletes, there are others who have no direct, personal ties to the organization that lend their time and expertise to the KCSO.

Jaie Koz of Sugar Grove sbegan volunteering two years ago and is now the group’s bowling coach. She said the experience has been fulfilling in ways she never imagined.

“I’ve always wanted to volunteer, and the Special Olympics is close to my heart because my step-brother has special needs,” Koz said. “I get so much more back than what I put in, as far as feeling like I’m helping.”

She said since she began volunteering, she has been welcomed with open arms.

“I would really encourage others to volunteer,” she said.

Volunteers can do a variety of tasks — assisting at the group’s fundraisers, doing laundry for the sport’s teams, or taking things a step further to become a coach. Junior coaches can begin participating at age 13 and often continue their participation as they age.

As important as volunteers are, it’s community and local business support that also keeps the group alive, Stefaniak said.

Police throughout Illinois have been supporters of the Special Olympics of Illinois. Here a local officer shares a medal-winning moment with a Kendall County athlete in 2017. (Photo courtesy of KCSO)

Local American Legion organizations, gyms, golf courses, school districts and the like donate space or time at discounted costs to the KCSO.

“If we didn’t have their support, we’d have to host the athletes here at my house, and we can’t do that,” Stefaniak said. “Thank God for the communities that open their doors to us. Without them, we may have a program, but we’d have to turn away 90 percent of our athletes.”

As things stand, any special needs athlete wanting to join the organization can. The cost to do so is low, and established scholarship funds assure everyone can participate whether they can afford to or not.

“Having more than 100 athletes means we need to reach out to the community, and that’s happening more and more every year,” Stefaniak said.

For information on the KCSO and how to donate or volunteer, visit http://www.kcsofamilyandfriends.org/

 

 

 

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