The Special Olympics Arkansas Summer Games take place this Thursday through Saturday in Searcy. Just like the international Olympics, there is a ceremonial torch, one whose flame is carried across the state by athletes and law enforcement.
One of those athletes is Mary Childress, who will carry the torch through Harrison on Tuesday. Ozarks at Large's Jack Travis spoke with Childress over the phone last week and reports that the athlete, known for her dominance in bocce ball, is ready for the task.
Mary Childress is preparing to carry the torch. However, like most people, she's subject to nerves.
"Yes, a little bit, but I'll be okay though."
She's got a community behind her, supporting her every step.
"After I see them and everything, talk to them a little bit, then I kind of cool down, relax and run with them."
She spoke from the office of one of her support systems, Achieve Community Alliance.
"We are services to people across the state who have any physical and developmental mental disabilities."
That's Maria Rogers. She's a community support leader for Achieve.
"It is through the CES waiver program, and we help them with all of their activities of daily living and help them lead the most normal lives possible, to be as independent as possible, and just achieve every goal that we know that they can achieve."
You might recall that waiver program from previous Ozarks at Large reporting. Reporter Matthew Moore has told us that Medicaid waivers fund supported living services and are currently underfunded in Arkansas. Rogers says these services — think in-home aides or community support centers — are vital to Achieve's clients.
"A day in the life of some will look like assisting in daily home tasks, helping them clean their homes, getting to doctor's appointments, helping them learn to comparison grocery shop, budgeting, learning how to count money, learning how to be prepared within an emergency — where they need to go, who they need to call. Man, there are so many things that we go above and beyond to do and help them. Even study for a driver's test, which Mary has succeeded and surpassed that goal and got her driver's license earlier this year. So we're super proud of her for that."
Achieve serves roughly 300 members across the state and over 50 from the Harrison office alone. Achieve and similar organizations rely on Medicaid waivers to continue their programs.
"Those are the kind of dollars that, you know, every year can be subject to be cut, which is very sad because this is a phenomenal program for all of our people, just like Mary and so many others that we support throughout the whole state."
She says that Special Olympics, although unaffiliated with Achieve, continues that support for Mary by helping her find and connect with friends.
"Special Olympics helps our individuals still maintain their communities of friends. Not only do they have their community of friends or family — they might not be with Achieve, they might be with another program — and they still get to get together at the Special Olympics events and thrive and grow together and cheer each other on. And just like with us, with all of our members, we become just as much a part of their family as they are. And we just help each other grow and thrive, try to be there for each other every moment. And that's why the Special Olympics is so much fun. It's so exciting to watch and just be there for them. And every one of them gets so excited when we show up at these events and we're there for them, cheering them on."
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