DUANE SHERRILLEditor

The Area 13 Lower Cumberland Special Olympics were held Tuesday at Grider Stadium on the campus of Tullahoma High School.

This year’s theme was “Celebrating Every Champion”. Almost 300 athletes competed in various contests including racing, softball throw, bocce ball, long jump and other events. Tullahoma and Coffee County had delegations that marched in the opening ceremonies and then competed for medals. The events were officially started with the lighting of the Olympic flame and the reciting of the Special Olympic oath.

“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt,” the oath written by Eunice Kennedy Shriver for the first Special Olympics International Games in 1968 says.

This year marks the 44^th annual event. Teams were fielded from across the region with Olympians coming from Moore, Coffee, Lincoln, Franklin, and Bedford counties.

The event was made possible by a small army of volunteers, many of which were students who donated their time to assist with hosting the events. The track and field events are part of the Area 13 initiative that also host swimming, basketball and other indoor events throughout the year.