Bigfork volunteers support Special Olympics

Volunteerism is nothing new for the residents of Bigfork, but several are lending a hand outside of the Village for a Valley-wide cause serving on the board of the Glacier Area Special Olympics.

"We all met in Kalispell and then we found out that we're all from Bigfork," said Nancy Corbett, who is the competitions coordinator. "It's a neat team. It's a very productive and synergetic team."

Local board members also include Shelley Emslie, who is the fundraising coordinator, Karen Kimball, who is the volunteer coordinator, and Patti Wegner, who heads the athletes' leadership program.

On Friday that team came together to host the annual Special Olympics summer area games in Kalispell and Whitefish with the help of many day-volunteers including several from Bigfork.

"We are the fastest growing area in the state (for Special Olympics' and that is greatly due to the amount of volunteers that we have that have helped expand our program," Corbett said.

At the area games, athletes compete in a variety of events including track, softball throw, bowling, swimming and weightlifting.

Corbett started out as a day volunteer herself two-and-a-half years ago.

"I just fell in love," Corbett said. "You go there and think you're doing it for them but you get so much out of it."

Kimball's path into the program was fairly similar. She first got involved with the Special Olympics as a police officer in Los Angeles and helped give out medals at the summer games.

"The first time I gave an athlete a medal, he hugged me and said, 'I got a hug from the LAPD,'" Kimball said. "I just got hooked. You get a really good feeling from being a part of it. Really you get more back than you give from being a part of the Special Olympics."

When Kimball moved to the Bigfork she decided she wanted to continue to volunteer her time with the Special Olympics and after a couple of years of helping out in various capacities wherever she was needed, she became the volunteer coordinator, a role which she has held for 10 years.

"I always get a good response from all of the communities, especially Bigfork," Kimball said.

One couple that has been answering the call for volunteer help for years is Mike and Nancy Thoennes, who have run the track since 2001. The Thoennes decided to get involved with the Special Olympics as a way to fill the void of their children growing up and moving on

"It's good soul food," Mike Thoennes said. "It's different than the monotony of the daily life. It gives you a chance to help people and in turn they're helping you."

The summer area games have become an important part of the Thoennes' lives.

"I look forward to it every year," Nancy Thoennes said. "I just wish everyone could get involved. If everyone could get a little of what I get out of this, the world would be a better place."

Sharing the importance of volunteering and its benefits is exactly what got Emslie involved with the organization. As a fifth-grade teacher at Swan River School, Emslie received a letter last year asking if her class would be interested in adopting a team at the winter games. Her class adopted the Havre Blue Ponies and supported the athletes with letters of encouragement and gifts and attended their competition on Big Mountain. The project was such a success last year that Emslie opted to have her class this year re-adopt the Blue Ponies for this past season's winter games.

"Kids need to be exposed to all different activities," Emslie said. "My biggest goal is to get the kids to volunteer and give their time. If I can inspire even one kid to volunteer, then I feel I've made a difference. There's more to teaching than just math, English, science and history. It is important to teach the kids to be well-rounded people. When we come back from an event, we talk about what happened and what we saw. They absolutely love the joy they see at the events. They get a lot out of it."

Emslie had always been interested in the Special Olympics, but even prior to her class adopting a team she got to be involved with the organization while serving as Mrs. Montana last year. It was then that she first became passionate about the program.

"You can't help but have a fantastic time when you're hanging out with the athletes, and every person who is involved with the Special Olympics is just a phenomenal person," Emslie said.

Wegner is one of those phenomenal people, as she not only serves as the physical therapist for the Kalispell School District where she works with disabled students, but she has also volunteered with the Special Olympics for 15 years. Since she is around many of the athletes for more than just the day of the games, Wegner has a solid understanding of the importance of the organization to them.

"It's great for them to get to perform in front of a crowd," Wegner said. "The social aspect is very cool for them as well."

The days of school following the area games are always filled with talk among the athletes she works with of ribbons and success.

"They are always very excited about their ribbons," Wegner said. "These games give the kids a sense of success and accomplishment, and of happiness."

It's that sense of enjoying the little things in life that hooked Corbett and helped her take on the role of competitions coordinator, which led her to putting on her first area games last week.

"They inspire me," Corbett said. "It sounds kind of selfish, but they do. It's not just the athletes. It's the parents too. They overcome so much adversity. The parents are so giving and caring and supportive. They are very strong and incredible people who have persevered through so much. They've been through so much, but they have such great attitudes and outlooks on life. They're always smiling and happy. They are really the way we all should be. They're very accepting and they aren't judgmental. They love their ribbons, but I don't think they really care what color they are. They just want to be there together and participate. The world would just be a better place if everyone was less selfish and self-absorbed."

"It's good soul food," Mike Thoennes said. "It's different than the monotony of the daily life. It gives you a chance to help people and in turn they're helping you."

The summer area games have become an important part of the Thoennes' lives.

"I look forward to it every year," Nancy Thoennes said. "I just wish everyone could get involved. If everyone could get a little of what I get out of this, the world would be a better place."

Sharing the importance of volunteering and its benefits is exactly what got Emslie involved with the organization. As a fifth-grade teacher at Swan River School, Emslie received a letter last year asking if her class would be interested in adopting a team at the winter games. Her class adopted the Havre Blue Ponies and supported the athletes with letters of encouragement and gifts and attended their competition on Big Mountain. The project was such a success last year that Emslie opted to have her class this year re-adopt the Blue Ponies for this past season's winter games.

"Kids need to be exposed to all different activities," Emslie said. "My biggest goal is to get the kids to volunteer and give their time. If I can inspire even one kid to volunteer, then I feel I've made a difference. There's more to teaching than just math, English, science and history. It is important to teach the kids to be well-rounded people. When we come back from an event, we talk about what happened and what we saw. They absolutely love the joy they see at the events. They get a lot out of it."

Emslie had always been interested in the Special Olympics, but even prior to her class adopting a team she got to be involved with the organization while serving as Mrs. Montana last year. It was then that she first became passionate about the program.

"You can't help but have a fantastic time when you're hanging out with the athletes, and every person who is involved with the Special Olympics is just a phenomenal person," Emslie said.

Wegner is one of those phenomenal people, as she not only serves as the physical therapist for the Kalispell School District where she works with disabled students, but she has also volunteered with the Special Olympics for 15 years. Since she is around many of the athletes for more than just the day of the games, Wegner has a solid understanding of the importance of the organization to them.

"It's great for them to get to perform in front of a crowd," Wegner said. "The social aspect is very cool for them as well."