Editor’s note: Mandi Roggy supplied the fifth photo.
Morrison Police Officer Curt Workman, Fire Department Chief Dave Benters (driving), and Fireman Scott Allison led a caravan of vehicles from French Creek Park along Main Street, Morrison, IL, at 8:00 p.m., on Saturday evening, June 10, 2017. They drove through smiles and congratulatory signs that welcomed home several medal winners in the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games.
The competition ran Friday, June 9, through Sunday, June 11, 2017, in Bloomington-Normal, IL. This is a premier competition, with more than 4000 athletes and Unified Partners, who compete in one of six sports, divided by gender and age. It is a huge weekend endeavor: 1600 coaches, 2000 volunteers, and 3300 family members who congregate primarily at Illinois State University in Normal.
Left-to-right are Mother Audrey Humphrey, Gaby Ovalle, Markeesha Glover, Ashley Ogburn, and Tori Humphrey. Josh Brown rode with his parents. Twin-Cities Athletes Billy Davidson and Trevor Frey did not attend the parade.
Morrison’s Tori Humphrey and her Twin-Cities Athletes teammates carried the Area 1 team banner, on Friday, at the 8:00 p.m. Opening Ceremony. Selected athletes parade into Hancock Stadium. The opening also marks the final leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run, a significant fundraiser. Officers paired with athletes to carry the torch along its route and light the cauldron holding the Flame of Hope. The Illinois State Police presented a donation of $4.2 million dollars to the Illinois Special Olympics.
Kent Humphrey has been the Twin-Cities Athletes Assistant Coach for two years; Karen Beggs is Head Coach. Members who entered the Summer Games were Billy Davidson (2nd Place 100 meter run); Trevor Frey (missed his event in the 50 meter run); Markeesha Glover (4th place 100 meter run); Tori Humphrey (1st Place 50 meter run); Gaby Ovalle (7th place 100 meter run.) Coach Humphrey noted all of his competitors earned 1st place medals on Saturday, May 6, in Rockford, IL, to qualify for the Special Olympics.
Mandi Roggy is a first year coach for the Bi-County Special Olympics team. Her entrants were Josh Brown, below, (3rd place 50 meter run) and Ashley Ogburn (1st Place 50 meter run.)
Shown after the parade in a group hug are, left-to-right, Ogburn, Ovalle, Brown, Glover, and Humphrey.
