Who volunteers for Special Olympics? It would be impossible to list all the types of people who volunteer for Special Olympics. Young people, retirees, professionals, students, Special Olympics athletes, celebrities – they all do their part. Here is just a small sampling of the people who make up the global Special Olympics community. Agnes Melvin, Special Olympics athlete volunteer. [Photo by Ray McManus] Agnes Melvin, a former Special Olympics Ireland athlete, volunteered at the athletics competition of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. Many athletes report that after years of participating in Special Olympics, they feel that they have a grasp of the fundamentals of how the organization works and how they might like to help provide the program as opposed to always being on the receiving side. An athlete working in a volunteer role can explain what he or she thinks and sees at each part of an event; that perspective is critical to an organization that prides itself on being athlete centered. [Learn more about Special Olympics athletes as volunteers.]   2003 World Games volunteers Harry Gorman (left) and Jimmy Healy. [Photo by Donal Doherty] The oldest volunteers lending a hand at Morton Stadium, home of the athletics competition for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games, were 72-year-old Harry Gorman and 83-year-old Jimmy Healy. Gorman, who still runs 45 miles a week, served as a judge and Healy as a marksman— together they offered 155 years of service to track & field events. (Ninety-year-old Helen Thwing was the oldest volunteer at the World Games as a representative of Clipped Wings, a group of former and present United Airlines stewardesses who support Special Olympics.) [Visit "Meet our Volunteers" to read more about Helen Thwing and Clipped Wings.]   Nathalia Ramos (right) with Special Olympics Panama athlete Albadira Hernandez. [Photo courtesty of Special Olympics Panama] Nathalia Ramos, 15, spends more than two hours commuting each Saturday morning: taking crowded public transportation to the bus stop where a second Special Olympics Panama bus collects her for the final leg — a necessary journey to reach the Special Olympics aquatics practices where she has been volunteering for the last two years. She's ready to assist anywhere she's needed: at a Youth and Schools sports demonstration she could be spotted helping during the presentation of announcements and cleaning up the venue, simultaneously salsa-ing and chatting with the athletes. [Visit "Meet our Volunteers" to read more about Nathalia Ramos.]   Volunteer Kristopher Woods [U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Lisa Keding] Individuals from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVEN, homeported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center base in Gulfport, Mississippi, USA, volunteered to help with the annual Special Olympics Mississippi basketball competition. That group included Kristopher Woods, who had previously fine-tuned the quick fingers necessary to be the counter for the speed-dribble skill during prior events — the 30 January 2004 event was just one of the many times he has volunteered for Special Olympics, saying that it feels like the right thing to do. In addition to their tasks, the Seabee group provided encouragement and gave athletes one-on-one time and attention. [Visit "Meet our Volunteers" to read more about Woods and his Seebee colleagues.]   Posing with Nancy Kim (second from right) at her highly successful fundraiser are members of the benefit organizing committee. Nancy Kim, owner of Imperial Tours in Beijing, China, served as the Chair of the Special Olympics East Asia Benefit Committee. Her work on a holiday gala benefiting Special Olympics China National Sports Development Seminars led to an outpouring of support and donations as well as a substantial increase in public awareness of Special Olympics China. [Visit "Meet our Volunteers" to read more about Nancy Kim.]   Nicole (front) and (from left) Brian, Karyn and Lyn Brain at a Special Olympics Australia awards ceremony. Nicole Brain's entire family — father Brian, mother Lyn, and older sister Karyn — came along when she joined Special Olympics in 1991. All give unselfishly of their time, energy and skills in a variety of sporting and administrative capacities. Brian began representing his state at the national level in 1993, and encouraged the increase of the number of the sports offered from four to eight. Lyn performs many tasks essential to keeping athletes, officials, volunteers and others organized. [Visit "Meet our Families" to read more about the Brains.]   Volunteer Sura Ghazal. Sura Ghazal, 17, was attracted to Special Olympics as soon as she learned of the movement. Ghazal first volunteered with Special Olympics Jordan when she participated in a Special Olympics Unified Sports® competition. Because of her dedication and will, Ghazal was chosen to represent the Middle East/North Africa region at the Global Youth Summit held in Ireland during the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. [Visit "Meet our Volunteers" to read more about Sura Ghazal.] To learn more about who volunteers, visit the Eligibility & Qualifications section of this site. If you're ready to volunteer for Special Olympics, contact your local Program to find out how you can help.      Return to the "Why Volunteer?" main page