More than 21 NAS Whidbey Island volunteers from NAS Security, the Galley, Fleet Readiness Center Northwest, Naval Hospital Oak Harbor and Personnel Support Detachment pulled together, Feb. 5, to help out with the Special Olympics of Washington (SOWA) Winter Games held at Stanwood High School in Stanwood, Wash.

It was a day full of smiles that started when all the volunteers gathered in the cafeteria to don their borrowed SOWA tee shirts. Volunteers were assigned to specific stations to manage event coordination, teamwork, and individual skills, such as running and dribbling from one point to another in a timed session, or passing and shooting drills. More than a dozen teams from the Washington area participated in the games and the athletes had an awesome time.

“You can’t help but be humbled by spending a day helping out at one of these events” said Cindy Wallitner who has been volunteering her time for SOWA the past 16 years. “Your life becomes richer and your struggles don’t seem as heavy. You will leave with a smile on your heart.”

People interested in volunteering for Special Olympics events in Washington can get involved by checking out the website http://www.sowa.org{{PERIOD}} All of the events for each region are listed on the website as well as some history about the agency. SOWA also has a Facebook page where you can connect with others interested in volunteering.