Mission News
Special Olympics
Aaron Fettig and the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Summer Games
Aaron Fettig has been a busy young man when it comes to Special Olympics!
As mentioned in previous Cross Currents articles, Aaron is a long-time participant in Special Olympics athletic competition. Aaron, son of members John and June Fettig, has competed for 18 years at numerous state and national events including the 2009 World Winter Games. This past summer, Aaron was actively involved in the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Summer Games, held in our very own Lincoln, Nebraska!
For the Summer Games, Aaron competed as part of Team Nebraska, the largest state delegation in attendance (as was expected, ours being the host state). Almost 2,500 athletes from across the nation spent six days on the University of Nebraska - Lincoln campus, competing in events ranging from track and field to flag football.
Aaron competed in three track and field events, earning silver medals in the 4 x 400 relay and the individual 200 meter races....and placing fourth in what the athletes call the "turbo-jav", a safer variation of the Olympic-style javelin event.
The entire Summer Games were well-presented and inspirational. Volunteerism is always key to Special Olympic games success, as our church's support of the annual Nebraska Summer Games illustrates. (Note: Each year, Jon Boomgaarden's volunteer crew assembles at Creighton University and prepares lunches for the athletes and coaches at the Nebraska Summer Games track and field venue). Volunteer support at the USA National Summer Games was tremendous, with 8,000 persons providing volunteer services during the games and 11,000 total signing up to help.
The Summer Games were a multi-million dollar affair, with federal, state and city of Lincoln contributions critically important. The University of Nebraska - Lincoln was wonderfully supportive, but local philanthropic support from businesses was perhaps the most exciting. The goal of 40 businesses contributing $25,000 or more each was surpassed.
Recently Aaron ended his stint as the athlete member of the 2010 USA National Summer Games Board of Directors. For several years the special "501 c 3" organization (created exclusively for the 2010 Summer Games) met to plan, implement and oversee the multitude of things it takes to put on such an extravaganza. The organization is dissolving now. This month it was announced that Special Olympics Nebraska will receive approximately $500,000 in net proceeds generated from the Summer Games, one of the original goals. Even more importantly, so many lives have been forever changed and improved....those of the athletes, their families, the volunteers and a great many others who came in contact with the activities of this special event.
Aaron, John, and June are grateful and appreciative of the Mission Committee and Church of the Cross for their ongoing Special Olympics financial and volunteer support!