More than 100 volunteers including Sailors from Kitsap-area commands assisted in the Special Olympics basketball event held at five separate venues across Kitsap County Feb. 20.

Games were held at the Kitsap Sun Pavilion, Central Kitsap Jr. High, Ridgetop Junior High, Bremerton Junior High and View Ridge Elementary.

According to Angie Ramos, training manager of Selfless Region Sports, the amount of basketball participation increased from 800 members in 2009 to more than 900 this year.

“Over the years, the athletic base for the Special Olympics in Kitsap County has been increasing, and it continues to grow with volunteer help,” said Ramos. “This is a complete team effort in every sense of the word. You have the members of the state office, volunteer efforts from the Navy, and Kiwanis International providing their help at all of our venues across Kitsap County.”

The Naval Hospital Bremerton Color Guard, comprised of Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Ashley Anderson, Hospitalman Briana Bartholomew, Hospitalman Kenny Harp and Hospitalman Apprentice Clinton Scott paraded the colors as part of opening ceremony.

“I volunteered to do this ceremony because I know it means a lot to the players, their family and friends,” said Bartholomew, a corpsman assigned to NHB Labor & Delivery dept. “The kids really enjoyed being around the Navy Sailors and I believed really enjoyed the rifles segment of the ceremony. I would no doubt in my mind volunteer and do this again.”

There were more than 90 coed basketball teams put together in accordance to age and skill level.

“Everyone had been very supportive in making this event happen,” said Ramos. “Each of the teams in the Special Olympics has worked very hard and practiced for months, thus making this event the highlight of all their efforts. The volunteers who helped in the events running smoothly made it a fun experience for everyone involved.”

Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Ajay Narayan, assigned to NHB General Surgery dept said events like the Special Olympics provide great opportunities to help others.

“The athletes had a lot of fun, and I also enjoyed the time I spent [volunteering]. Those kids have a lot of energy, and there’s always a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff that needs to be done. I was all too happy to help out. I can’t think of a better way to spend some off-duty time,” Narayan said.

(MMFN Wade Oberlin, PSNS & IMF Bangor Public Affairs, contributed to this story.)