The Hermon High School JROTC cadets helped change lives as they left for Hermon Mountain, eager to help out at a local Special Olympics event. A handful of selected cadets would help the participants fit snowshoes, find their racing lane, or find motivation to do their very best Feb. 12.
The volunteers and organizers of the event rally around the olympians cheering and supporting them to do their very best. The day is filled with “Good jobs”, “You’ve got this”, and lots and lots of clapping. The feeling of warmness, happiness, and inclusion quickly spreads around the lodge that’s filled with the laughter of olympians.
Bill Whitcomb, owner of Hermon Mountain, says, “The Special Olympics is our absolute favorite day of the year.” He also says he’s never had a more honest group of people than the olympians, and they love that we’re here cheering them on and they remember us year after year when the same cadets come back. Bill Whitcomb also said “Everyone is here for the love of people.”
Dan Scott is not only a father of an olympian but a supporter of the event year after year. I had the pleasure of talking to him regarding the Special Olympics and Junior ROTC’s involvement. He believes that whomever came up with the idea of the special olympics was a very masterful thought. He says being a parent of a Special Olympian gets him into part of a very special group where these kids have to work much harder to achieve their goals. He also says that JROTC’s involvement means the world to these athletes. “It’s just so so so cool!” He believes that JROTC’s involvement with the Special Olympics prepares young minds to think about things in an expanded context and think about doing things for the benefit of others and not just yourself. “It’s a refreshing thing to see youth getting involved in something so big and really getting to see the world and participate in things for the better of the community.”
The Special Olympics have been a national tradition since 1968 and there are no plans of stopping, according to leading volunteers of the event.
Cadets that were selected to volunteer said things along the lines of ‘it was such an eye opening experience’ to ‘it was a lot of fun’ to ‘it was so heartwarming to see the community so united’. The volunteers agree that it was definitely a heartwarming experience to look out the lodge and see our cadets helping, cheering and interacting with the athletes!
The Hermon JROTC cadets are planning to assist with this event for all future years to come, especially after seeing how rewarding it is to be there. The Hawk Battalion also plans to assist in the upcoming Spring/Summer games that take place in May.
