The opening ceremonies for the 2013 Special Olympics State Summer Games will take place at Hilton Coliseum on Thursday evening.

The State Summer Games have been held every May in Ames, Iowa, at Iowa State University’s campus since 1984. The games will be from Thursday through Saturday.

Approximately 3,000 athletes will participate in the Special Olympics’ largest annual event. The competitions include aquatics, athletics, track and field, bocce, cycling, developmental events, roller-skating, soccer and tennis.

To put together an event of this size, volunteers are a necessity.

“A lot of our events can’t happen without our volunteers,” said Director of Volunteers and Unified Sports Michelle Haney. “Iowa State has been a huge support system, not just the faculty and staff, but from the students as well.” 

Haney said students have helped for a number of years with the Summer Games and the Polar Bear Plunge, an event put on by the greek community each year.

The ISU Letterwinners Club, ISU track and field teams, Cyclone Aides and student staff members from Kingland Systems Corporation are a few of the student groups volunteering at this year’s Summer Games.

Adam Lynch, a junior in business, is an employee at Kingland.

“I’m really excited to help an organization that is working for such a great cause,” Lynch said. “Getting to spend two days, possibly, changing the lives of others is an amazing opportunity.”

Roughly 20 student-employees from Kingland are volunteering on Thursday and Friday, helping out with the athletic events and any general tasks the Special Olympics staff may ask of them.

Cyclone Aides are undergraduate student leaders who facilitate orientation and Destination Iowa State.

Nearly 20 Cyclone Aides will take a break from ISU activities and volunteer during the opening ceremonies on Thursday evening.

“The Cyclone Aides are very excited to help with Special Olympics Iowa,” said Annie Olson, a graduate assistant in charge of orientation. “Following a day of training on Thursday, they will be working with the Special Olympics staff members at the Opening Ceremonies.”

Cyclone Aide Khayree Fitten thinks having the Summer Games in Ames is beneficial for both the students getting involved and the entire ISU community.

“I feel that this is a really unique opportunity to give back. It showcases what is so unique about the Iowa State community,” Fitten said.

The ISU greek community has been participating in the Polar Bear Plunge for the past 18 years.

Each year in April, hundreds of students raise a minimum of $50 for Special Olympics Iowa and then “plunge” into Lake LaVerne. This year, ISU students and the greek community raised more than $135,000.

“I did stuff for Special Olympics in high school and realized the importance of the organization,” said Kellie Morrissey, senior in management and a community service co-chairwoman for Greek Week, in an interview on April 1. “It’s definitely worth it, especially when you hear how much money we raised. It’s almost unbelievable and makes you feel really good.”

A complete schedule and State Summer Games Handbook with lots of information about the different events can be found at www.soiowa.org.