Something Special: Jackson hosts 54th Summer Games

By Robert TimmonsMay 16, 2024

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1 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Family members and Special Olympians wave as they listen to the 282nd Army Band moments before the torch arrived to signal the start of the Special Olympics of South Carolina's Summer Games held at Fort Jackson, S.C., May 10, 2024. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelly, Fort Jackson commander, and Special Olympians light the cauldron outside the Solomon Center on post, May 10, 2024, at the end of the 2024 Torch Run. The annual torch run signifies the beginning of the SOSC Summer Games held at Fort Jackson. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A powerlifter and her coach embrace as they celebrate her successful bench press. Fort Jackson hosted the Special Olympics of South Carolina's Summer Games, May 10-12. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL
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4 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A trainee with 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, pours water into an Arm Immersion Tank prior to the start of the South Carolina Special Olympics' Summer Games, May 10, 2024. The tank helps rapidly cool the body when arms are immersed in ice water. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL
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5 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Special Olympians from Area 1, which includes Florence, Dillon and Marion, S.C., march into the Solomon Center for opening ceremony, as trainees loudly cheer them on. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL
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6 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Special Olympians from Area 5 (Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick and Newberry, S.C.) enter the Solomon Center, May 10 to thunderous applause from trainees at Fort Jackson during opening ceremonies of the Special Olympics of South Carolina’s Summer Games. (Photo Credit: Nathan Clinebelle) VIEW ORIGINAL
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7 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 2024 Special Olympics of South Carolina Summer Games t-shirt. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL

It was the 54th time the post was home to the games, and it was blasted into the atmosphere the moment the first Special Olympians from Area 1 set foot inside the Solomon Center at Fort Jackson.

The floor shook and the air thumped with the heavy bass of hundreds of shouting and cheering trainees eager to give the 800 or so athletes from 16 different areas of the Palmetto State the loudest, most bombastic welcome possible.

Fort Jackson’s commander, Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelly welcomed the Special Olympics of South Carolina’s Summer Games athletes whose “unwavering courage and boundless determination inspire us all.”

The individual event venues were spread between Blythewood High School in Blythewood, South Carolina and Fort Jackson.

The mission of the Special Olympics of South Carolina is “to provide year–round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic–type sports for children and adults with an intellectual disability, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.”

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1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Ashley Caulder, 2024 Mrs. South Carolina, watches as Special Olympians test their strength in the powerlifting competition. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A powerlifter shows determination as he performs a squat during the competition held in the Drill Sergeant Timothy Kay Soldier Performance Readiness Center, May 11. (Photo Credit: Nathan Clinebelle) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Special Olympians race each other in the backstroke at Knight Pool at Fort Jackson, May 11, 2024. The race was part of the Special Olympics of South Carolina's Summer Games. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL
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4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Special Olympian looks over her shoulder as she reaches the end of the backstroke race, May 11, 2024 at Fort Jackson. The Special Olympics of South Carolina's Summer Games was held on Fort Jackson May 10-12. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL
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5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Bowlers roll for strikes at Century Lanes, May 10, 2024 as part of the Special Olympics of South Carolina's Summer Games held at Fort Jackson, S.C. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL

Soldiers tasked to provide support to the games gladly supported them and even worked the games as volunteers multiple times.

This wasn’t the first rodeo for Capt. Raymond Stronach, the officer in charge of the powerlifting competition held at the Drill Sergeant Timothy Kay Soldier Performance Readiness Center.

“This is actually not the first time I’ve been involved with Special Olympics. I remember years, years ago as a cadet … I volunteered” to help the track and field competition, said the company commander with 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment.

The 2-60th provided support to the Games with lodging and coordination of the events on post.

Stronach was charged with coordination between the SOSC, a group of 18 civilian and military volunteers.

For 1st Lt. Brittney Stallings, in charge of the swimming events at Knight Pool, working the event was “amazing.”

Stallings, who is on her third Special Olympic games, and Sgt. 1st Class Nick Hawkey, a senior drill sergeant with Company B, 2-60th, said the planning for the event took months to coordinate and involved ensuring the safety of contestants.

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1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Special Olympian receives a gold medal for winning a swim event during the Special Olympic of South Carolina's Summer Games held May 11, 2024 at Knight Pool on post. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – First Lt. Brittney Stallings, with 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, congratulates a swimmer on her efforts during a race during the Special Olympics of South Carolina's Summer Games. This was Stallings, the officer-in-charge of the swimming event at Knight Pool at Fort Jackson, S.C., third Summer Games. (Photo Credit: Robert Timmons) VIEW ORIGINAL

Once it was “go” time they were able to revel in the experience.

“It was awesome,” Hawkey said. “I’m actually standing out here with the awardees and just seeing their faces no matter what place they get awards … and they are all happy. It’s just an awesome experience to see this.”

Stallings watched as the swimmers finished their races and celebrated with them.

The first international Special Olympics Summer Games was held in 1968 at Soldier Field in Chicago and spread across the globe.