Special Olympics begin with Sunday parade downtown

The Special Olympics Montana State Winter Games begin Sunday with a parade through downtown Whitefish.

Events begin Sunday at 4 p.m. when the public is invited to line Central Avenue from Third Street to Railway Street for a parade of athletes followed by the opening ceremony at Depot Park.

During the games, 366 athletes and 61 unified teammates from 24 teams will gather at the Whitefish Mountain Resort to compete in four different sports over a two-day period on Monday and Tuesday.

Competitions include alpine skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowboarding. An additional 150 local residents will donate their time as volunteers to help organize the event.

Whitefish has been home to the State Winter Games for 22 consecutive years.

There are several volunteer slots still open and available. To sign up, please contact Jamie Wood at jwood@somt.org or 406-564-2071, or sign up online at: http://somt.org/day-event-volunteer-openings/

Special Olympics Montana is a statewide nonprofit organization that provides year-round sports training, athletic competition, and health-related programming for individuals with intellectual disabilities.