Gadsden Elementary School District to host Special Olympics event!

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Gadsden Elementary School District #32 will be hosting a Special Olympics event on Saturday, March 22.

They will make a short tour from the Gadsden District #32 offices and walk towards Southwest Jr. High School at 7:30 a.m., where all the athletic activities will take place.

"This event is important because people need to understand that children or anybody with a disability need their moment of the sunlight shining on them," said San Luis resident James Allen Jr. "The positivity that they exert and the lives that they change each and every day they're with us."

Allen, who is serving as a volunteer at this year's Special Olympics, shared his experience at last year's games, in which his daughter had the opportunity to participate.

She unfortunately passed away in July of last year, only a few months after participating in the Special Olympics, due to a complication with an illness.

Allen shared how the memory of his daughter is fueling his desired to see others like her thrive throughout their adversities.

"[My daughter] always had a saying, 'hugs and kisses are free,'" said Allen. "We need to be giving more of ourselves and not being selfish toward our own needs. Lifting up the ones that have the most difficult challenges in life, such as all of our children with special needs."

Food, drinks, live music, and various activities in an atmosphere of connectivity and celebration. The 2025 Special Olympics promise to be an unforgettable day of inclusion and fun.

Don't miss the opportunity to support and be part of this great sporting and community event.