UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) Summer Games, to be held on Penn State’s University Park campus June 2-4, is seeking volunteers from the local community to help make the event a success.

Special Olympics Pennsylvania athletes will compete in athletics, basketball, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, softball, swimming and tennis. the three-day event hosts nearly 2,000 athletes and 750 coaches.

Volunteers make up the major part of those who run the event, and play a variety of important roles with the games, including logistical support like greeting athletes as they arrive on campus, assisting with their luggage and guiding them to their lodgings, as well as helping to set up and tear down equipment. Other volunteers help run the games themselves, serving as judges, score-keepers, timers, lane monitors, announcers, food preparers, fans in the stands, and more.

“Volunteers are the backbone of Special Olympics Pennsylvania and without them we would not be able to offer our programming or put on amazing events like Summer Games,” said Erika Christiansen, central competition director for SOPA. “The impact that you get to make as a Special Olympics volunteer is truly magical — you are helping our athletes get off the sidelines and into the game of life.”

All volunteers will be required to follow SOPA's "Return to Activities" COVID-19 protocols, which may require testing for those who are not vaccinated.

For more information on volunteering, contact Erika Christiansen, central competition director, at 814-234-3750 or echristiansen@specialolympicspa.org. To register to volunteer, visit the website at this link.