Organization encourages awareness during month of March

Albert Lea resident Scott Smith looks forward to the Special Olympics each year.

Smith, 42, participates in the 50-meter and 100-meter runs, along with the shot put.

“It’s good exercise, I guess,” he said.

On Monday, he and a couple dozen other people  with disabilities began their first day of track and field training of the year at Hawthorne Elementary School for the Special Olympics. The event is in May in Rochester.

Organized locally through The Arc of Freeborn County, some participants come together to train, while others come to simply socialize and get exercise. On Monday there were people ranging in age from as young as 8 to people in their 60s.

The track and field time is one of several activities The Arc of Freeborn County facilitates each year in the area. Other activities include crafts, dances, bowling, bocce and other after school activities, to name a few.

“It’s something to get into,” Smith said. “You get to meet new friends and stuff like that.”

Executive Director Mary Goetz said The Arc of Freeborn County is designed to be an advocate for families who have members who are intellectually or developmentally disabled. It supports not only the family member with the disability, but also the entire family.

This month is national Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and she would like to encourage the community to raise awareness about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“They truly are like all of us,” Goetz said. “They have the hopes, the dreams, the wishes of what they want to do. There is something truly spectacular about them.”

The Arc of Freeborn County works year-round to promote and protect with rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live and work as productive members of society. On the state level The Arc fights for changes in legislation.

Program Director Jo Lowe, whose daughter Paula, 40, has been involved in the Special Olympics since she was 8, took part with the other track and field participants on Monday.

“They each have their own personalities, their own likes and dislikes, their own dreams just like the rest of us,” Lowe said.

She said there are 204 people with disabilities served by the organization. That does not include family members that the agency also supports.

Goetz and Lowe encouraged community members to get involved throughout the year to raise awareness and promote acceptance and inclusion.

The Arc has been at its location at 407 E. William St. for 18 years. It can be reached at 377-3469 or at office@arcfreeborncounty.org.