Bloom Hamner

Greenies Volunteer at Special Olympics


Greenies Volunteer at Special Olympics

More than two-dozen students help out with annual event

Everywhere you looked, there were smiles Thursday at the Buncombe County Special Olympics Spring Games.

Twenty six boys from Christ School were right in the middle of it all. As volunteers, their service work helped make the event memorable for hundreds of athletes scattered throughout T.C. Roberson High School's stadium. For some Greenies like David Shainberg '18, it was a chance to spend more time with the kids they already tutor weekly through the Progressive Education Program.

"Today was really a great experience, just seeing everyone so happy," David said. "This was my first year being part of PEP, and I've enjoyed it. Everyone I've had a chance to work with has been really sweet."

Fellow senior T.J. Bell '18 echoed those sentiments.

"I think seeing the kids get their medals was probably the best part for me. They're just fun to be around."

The Spring Games are the largest annual event for the Buncombe County Special Olympics. To pull it off, the organization typically needs about 1,000 volunteers. Faculty members Olga Mahoney and Travis Harris accompanied the boys to Roberson where they worked for about four hours.

Along with David and T.J., the following Greenies were part of Thursday's trip: Wesley Garbee '20, Jackson Bewley '20, Faris Serafim '18, William Smoots '18, Hutson Ford '19, Tyler Bell '21, Evan Hoyle '19, James Treadaway '20, Doug Bland '19, Thomas Smoots '19, Brad Halvorsen '19, Peter Lash '20, Jalen Lecque '19, Brandon Stone '19, Jeffrey Hester '18, Andrew Hammel '20, Will Goosman '18, Carson Jones '18, Mac Gortney '19, Landon Cooke '18, Drake Oliver '19, Gabe Blevins '18, Mark Cvetkovic '19, and Kobi Selby '19.