Energy high for Whitefish’s Special Olympics Winter Games
Shane Roh with Team Kalispell Schools competes in the Special Olympics Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Photo provided by Whitefish Mountain Resort)
Shane Roh with Team Kalispell Schools competes in the Special Olympics Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Photo provided by Whitefish Mountain Resort)
Kalispell officer S. Buis and Winter Games skier Jamey Herron with team Lighthouse Christian at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Ahmad Waheed and Dixon Baxter from Whitefish are awarded gold and silver medals by Kalispell police officers at the Special Olympics Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Audrey VanOstrand from Columbia Falls enjoys the awards ceremeony after competing in the Apline Slalom at the Special Olympics Montana Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Alivia Westphal from Kalispell is all smiles with her family after competing at the Special Olympics Montana Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Kalispell police officers award medals to alpine slalom racers at the Special Olympics Montana Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Shane Gunter with Team Flathead Industries snowboarding during the Glacier Area Winter Games on Feb. 26. (Photo provided by Whitefish Mountain Resort)
Sixteen Special Olympics teams from across Montana gathered last week at Whitefish Mountain Resort for the annual Glacier Area Winter Games.
Kalispell resident Jamey Herron, with Lighthouse Christian, was born in Connecticut but has been skiing Big Mountain for many years – 14, to be exact. She said her favorite part of the Winter Games is anything downhill.
“I like going really fast. I’m really fast,” Herron said, who got a gold medal for her slalom race.
The Glacier Area Winter Games is a high energy event thanks to eager participants like Herron and volunteers and support from both local ski enthusiasts and programs that organize volunteer opportunities to be ski buddies or mountain guides.
Statewide Special Olympics staff help organize the event, but local support makes the event happen. From Base Lodge to the starting gate, timers, runners, slippers and course leads assist athletes on the snow.
“It takes a lot of volunteer support,” said Brittani Bush, Montana Special Olympics VP of sports.
Whitefish Mountain Resort hosts the event free of charge, sets up courses, provides lift tickets and lunches for teams at a reduced cost, Bush said.
The event takes place each year in late February or early March on Big Mountain. This year, 142 athletes competed in various events including the slalom, giant slalom, 10-meter walk, glide and super glide.
Athletes of all ability levels compete in novice, intermediate and advance events. Some athletes competed with adaptive equipment like sit skis and tethers.
Many athletes train for eight weeks or more with their teams at Whitefish Mountain Resort or Blacktail Mountain Ski Area.
DREAM Adaptive Recreation partners with teams to offer lessons throughout training as well as providing on-snow support the day of the event.
“Our partnerships with both Whitefish Mountain Resort and DREAM Adaptive are key to the success of the games,” Bush said. “They continue to be excellent partners in the event, and we are grateful for their continued support.”
Kalispell officer S. Buis and Winter Games skier Jamey Herron with team Lighthouse Christian at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Ahmad Waheed and Dixon Baxter from Whitefish are awarded gold and silver medals by Kalispell police officers at the Special Olympics Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Audrey VanOstrand from Columbia Falls enjoys the awards ceremeony after competing in the Apline Slalom at the Special Olympics Montana Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Alivia Westphal from Kalispell is all smiles with her family after competing at the Special Olympics Montana Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Kalispell police officers award medals to alpine slalom racers at the Special Olympics Montana Glacier Area Winter Games at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Feb. 26. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Shane Gunter with Team Flathead Industries snowboarding during the Glacier Area Winter Games on Feb. 26. (Photo provided by Whitefish Mountain Resort)