Special Games Honored

For more than 25 years, the annual Cal State Fullerton Special Games-Kathleen E. Faley Memorial has been bringing thousands of developmentally disabled student athletes from throughout the county to campus playing fields for a day of fun and sporting activities. 

Those efforts were recently honored with community organizations: The Disney VoluntEARS Community Fund and the Governor’s Challenge Spotlight Awards. 

This year, the CSUF Special Games were nominated — for the fourth year — as a grant recipient from the Disney VoluntEARS Community Fund by cast members as a means for its employees to be directly involved in the distribution of the charitable funds they contribute. The CSUF Special Games received a $5,000 grant in recognition of its ‘unique and innovative nonprofit efforts to address critical challenges in our local communities.’ 

Caption: Community volunteers surround special athlete Andre Miyazaki as he takes part in the basketball toss during the 2008 games on campus.

The California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Spotlight Awards recognizes individuals, organizations and events that positively impact the physical activity and fitness levels of California’s children and youth. This year, the organization awarded the Silver Medal for Events to Special Games with a gift of $2,500. 

“The CSUF Special Games – Kathleen E. Faley Memorial has distinguished itself as an outstanding supporter of children with special needs in Orange County for over 25 years, relying solely on support at a grassroots level and continues to serve the needs of children with all disabilities with non-competitive games and a day of friendship and smiles,” said Jeannie DeSantis, event manager. 

The special games program was launched in 1986 as a university class project. Two years later, the games were dedicated to the memory of Kathleen E. Faley, an alumna who died in a car accident in 1987. She was the sister of event co-organizer Dan Faley and among the inaugural core group of Special Games volunteers. To this day, her family remains involved in the event’s planning and organization. 

This year’s games were held Friday, May 7, on the practice fields north of Titan Gymnasium. More than 2,500 special athletes took part in noncompetitive athletic events with the support of more than 4,000 high school and other volunteers, parents, family and friends. 

The Special Games features a variety of sporting events for athletes with all ranges of disabilities. The day features an opening ceremony, live music, clowns, theme characters, police cars, fire trucks and a barbecue lunch. At the end of the day athletes are awarded with blue ribbons, commemorative shirts and certificates of participation. More importantly the athletes leave with a sense of pride in accomplishment.

Nov. 8, 2010