After twelve years in different cities and towns across the state, Special Olympics Montana (SOMT) will return to Billings from May 15th to the 17th and will remain in Billings for the following two years. Because the games are being hosted in Montana’s very own Magic City, this year’s theme will be “magic in the city”, which will be incorporated throughout the three-day event.
According to Rhonda McCarty, the chief executive officer of SOMT, Wednesday the 15th will include cycling, swimming, and gymnastics, as well as other supplementary activities and an opening ceremony. Thursday the 16th will include golf, bocce, soccer, and a motor activities program (MATP), which is a training program that is aimed at including athletes who are unable to participate in official Special Olympics sports because of a more pronounced disability. This will be followed by a team dine-out, a raffle, and a dance carnival. Friday the 17th will include the aforementioned athletic events and closing ceremonies by the late afternoon.
To support such a heavy schedule, SOMT requires almost 1,200 volunteers, which is why community involvement is imperative. “The games are volunteer driven…we would not be able to mobilize the games without the help of volunteers. The more we can include, the better for all,” said McCarty. There are a wide variety of volunteer positions, but all ultimately tie back to SOMT’s primary mission.
“Our mission, our vision, is to create inclusive communities,” said McCarty. “We bring people together and help create an inclusive community. You have sponsors supporting, you have volunteers making the games possible, you have athletes and teams from across the state visiting your community, and you have families finding joy.” SOMT uses sports as the vehicle for their mission of bringing people together because of how sports engage a community.
In closing, Rhonda McCarty said, “In a world that’s pretty contentious right now, Special Olympics is the one thing that can bring people together: people from varying ages, gender, nationalities, political preferences, careers. You bring all these people together, and it’s amazing how people can put all those differences aside and come together for the right reasons to strengthen their community.”
