June 17, 2007

A special torch passes
Sports: Final day of Special Olympics ends with awards for athletes, volunteers.
By Hanna Chu, Staff writer

When 24-year-old Michael Clough was a young boy, he needed a walker to get around. Though he is not blind, he has significant vision impairment.

Despite these struggles, Clough has been a Special Olympics participant since he was eight years old, and event coordinators have seen his growth throughout the years as he's competed in swimming and even snowshoeing with the Bellflower team.

The 2007 Special Olympics Southern California Summer Games came to a close Sunday after an eventful weekend that brought about 5,000 people to Cal State Long Beach over the games' three days. The competitors participated in aquatics, track and field, basketball, bocce, golf, gymnastics and tennis events.

On top of the various swimming medals Clough won during the games, he was awarded the most inspirational award at the closing ceremony for the progress he's made as an athlete.

Some 1,500 athletes participated in this summer's event, which took more than 2,000 volunteers to put on.

One of those volunteers, Don Howard, took home the second award presented in the closing ceremony, for volunteer of the year. Howard is assistant director of parks and recreation for Bellflower.

Howard was selected for "his long-time dedication and passion for our cause," said Bill Shumard, president and CEO of the Special Olympics Southern California.

Howard has been involved with the Special Olympics for 29 years.

"Special Olympics really changes lives," Shumard said.

Long Beach resident James McGoff proudly wore his bronze medal at the closing ceremony that he had won earlier that day during the 100-meter dash.

"It isn't about winning, it's about participating. Winning is just the icing on the cake," said Claudia Paquette, head coach for the Long Beach team, and McGoff's coach.

The regional summer games have been held in Long Beach for the past nine years, and last week the organization announced that the SOSC headquarters would be relocated from Culver City to Long Beach by the end of summer.

The headquarters was at first briefly located in Long Beach, but moved to the West Los Angeles area and has been there since.

"We're coming back home," Shumard said.

The regional organization holds several fundraisers to meet their budget every year. This year's budget was about $10 million.

"Law enforcement does a tremendous job of supporting our cause," Shumard said.

The torch run, which law enforcement raises money for, raised a record $821,000 this year.

Some of their biggest corporate sponsors include Vons, Toyota, Boeing, UPS, Merrill Lynch, Mattel and law enforcement in the southern California area, Shumard said.

The next event for Special Olympics Southern California is the fall games, which will be held at Cal State Fullerton.