Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
OVER SIXTY-five competitors and their family, friends and supporters bowled at Larry's Lucky Strikes on Tuesday to raise money for the Gogebic Ontonagon Special Olympics team. The team sends athletes to competitions all over the country and even different areas overseas to compete. Without federal money to fund its budget, the Special Olympics must find support from their community and Barb Siira says the U.P. is great and people always support the athletes.
By IAN MINIELLY
Ironwood - Sixty-seven competitors from Gogebic and Ontonagon counties descended on Larry's Lucky Strikes Tuesday to bowl and raise money for Special Olympics. Barb Siira, director of Special Olympics Michigan locally since 1972, said they had to cancel the event last Friday due to weather so they held it on Tuesday instead.
The Special Olympics, according to Siira, does not receive tax dollars. They rely on a bevy of volunteers and fundraising to support the program and the athletes, who range in ages from as young as 8, to as weathered as 84. Even though Siira retired from teaching years ago, she said she has not been able to leave the Special Olympics. Siira said their biggest expense is transportation.
Siira focuses on letter writing campaigns to raise awareness, while different area service groups, the ARC organization, and private businesses like Larry's Lucky Strikes come together to help generate money to support the athletes. Siira said the Ironwood JROTC does a lot of volunteering, as does the Key Club in Bessemer with some kids from Wakefield stepping up when available too.
Recent local athletes have travelled the world to compete on volunteer time and charitable dollars.
Barney Hinch competed in Princeton, New Jersey in the Track and Field World Games.
Fred Broemer competed at Duke, North Carolina in the World Summer Games.
Christine Smith competed in Utah at the Winter World Games.
Brittney Sordahl traveled to Alaska for the World Games.
Ted Ketola went all the way to China and spent two weeks at the World Games.
All of this travel costs a significant amount of money. Siira said when she put on the Facebook machine their need to raise money to send Ketola to China, she received money from Yoopers all over the country that wanted to support the Special Olympics and Yooper athletes.
One of the big fundraisers for the Special Olympics locally happens in September when people from all over the Upper Peninsula come together over two days to play golf and bocci ball.
