Special Olympics bowling wraps up season
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN Special Olympics bowling participants: Back row from left, Archer Cada, Julie Weible, Laurie Vaughn, and Coach John Beck; front row from left, Development Therapist Candy Beck, Michael Bjorker, Denise Tucker, Nathaniel Dodge, and Charlie Meeker. Not pictured: Kaleb Pintler and Luke Mead.
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN Coach John Beck assists Special Olympics bowler, Nathaniel Dodge at AJ’s Lanes.
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN Special Olympics bowler, Denise Tucker, practicing her technique at AJ’s Lanes.
Local Special Olympics athletes completed their fall season at the Northern Regional Bowling Tournament at Huckleberry Lanes in Sandpoint on Nov. 15. Under the direction of Coach John Beck, nine athletes practiced once a week for 12 weeks in order to compete in the tournament. Beck was assisted by Social Worker Candy Beck (no relation).
Coach Beck would like to thank Alan Jeppeson, owner of A.J.’s Lanes, for his generous contributions to the program.
According to Beck, “A.J. allowed us to bowl outside of the regular business hours at a convenient time for our team. He also loaned athletes bowling balls, shoes, and bowling bags for use at the tournament.”
Special Olympics activities are also supported by fundraising events including the local Polar Plunge, which usually takes place on the first Saturday in March in the Kootenai River.
The next local Special Olympics sport is snowshoeing, culminating at the Northern Regional Winter Olympics at Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg on Feb. 8, 2020. Practice for that event will begin on Jan. 10.
For further information about the local Special Olympics team and their activities, please call Coach John Beck at 208-267-9881.