News from the Field Department - October 2021

MEET QUIMBER NUTTER - OUR VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT FOR OCTOBER!

What do you do for a career?

            I am the Supports Coordinator for Mon Valley Supports Coordination. I work with individuals with disabilities to ensure they are receiving the support and services they are supposed to.

 How did you get involved with the Special Olympics and why?

            I got invited by Jody Knight. She was a parent of a camper at the summer camp I was running for children with special needs. She said they were in need of a swim coach. I grew up swimming and missed it. I enjoyed working with my individuals so I decided to give it a try. After one season and going to Penn State I was hooked, and now I am the head coach for swimming, bowling, LDR/W, the PR Coordinator, an Athlete Mentor and the Athlete Leadership Coordinator.

You were one of the first volunteers to reach out and engage athletes online during the early days of the pandemic – what did you do?

        I know how important it is to keep in touch with our individuals and keep some sort of structure and "normalcy" in their lives. So when Jody and I found out we were allowed to do virtual activities we immediately started. We started weekly dance parties, bingo nights, arts and craft night. We did tee dye night and a cookie decorating night. We tried to do activities that would keep them engaged as best we could. Once virtual Heptathlon started I became the head coach for that as well. For winter I only had 2 athletes but when the other athletes saw that those two got medals I had about 12 the next season. 

After more than a year of working online with athletes – have you learned any lessons that would help other volunteers?

       Have your lessons/ practices planned out ahead of time. Have videos ready to show for demonstration for the athletes. I used the pre-planned Heptathlon workouts online and tweaked them to the level of my athletes. They really enjoyed the workouts when I used a deck of cards or a die for a number of reps because it changed things up and would challenge them.

What was your favorite thing your athletes did online during the pandemic?

        The cookie decorating. We had the most athletes join for that night. And it was great to see everyone's creativity decorating the cookies. Families were even involved that night, the athletes really seemed to like to be able to talk and have fun again like we used to.

 If you were talking to another potential volunteer, what would you tell them about your experience that would influence their desire to get involved?

        I have loved being a part of the Special Olympics from day 1. You do not need to know anything about sports or have any special training to work with the athletes to do this. You just need to want to make a difference in someone's life. These athletes will teach you all you need to know. I have been in the field working with individuals with disabilities for 8 years and each day these athletes teach me something new.

What are you most proud of?

            The difference I make in my athletes' lives. I have individuals that would have never tried a sport unless I gave them that push. I love the opportunity to take these individuals to state games and watch them do the best they can do and know that  I helped them get there. And for the first time having an athlete go to USA games and being able to cheer her on this coming summer.