BUCYRUS — For six years, the Crawford County Board of Development Disabilities has tried to raise awareness and inclusion.
More inroads were made Friday night at Bucyrus High School.
The board sponsored the sixth annual Crawford County High Schools-Crawford County Chargers Special Olympics Unified Basketball Exhibition.
According to CCBDD Superintendent Court Sturts, the game permits Special Olympics athletes to compete against high school basketball players.
“This is the biggest event we have to raise awareness and inclusion throughout the county,” Sturts added.
Sturts said that the goodwill accrued through games like this event benefits everyone involved.
“We have every high school involved,” Sturts said. “We ask for a male and female varsity high school basketball athlete and the schools commit those folks and we mix them up with the Special Olympics team. We have a pep squad and the pep band from Bucyrus High School.”
Sturts said that, while the board receives some of the funds from the basketball fundraiser, most of the money goes to groups throughout the county.
“The fundraisers go through our advocacy group, Chargers for Change, go to Special Olympics in Crawford County and this year for Gabby in her quest for Miss Wheelchair America,” Sturts said.
“The (Bucyrus) softball team sells popcorn for a fundraiser; we have newly crowned Miss Wheelchair Ohio and we’ll be doing a fundraiser throw for dough for her and her quest for Miss Wheelchair America,” Sturts added.
The newly crowned Miss Wheelchair Ohio, Gabby Kozinski of Bucyrus, will head to Michigan to take part in the Miss Wheelchair America competition.
Kozinski said she was surprised when she won the Ohio competition, which was held in Mount Vernon.
“I was in disbelief,” Kozinski said. “I didn’t think I was going to win, so I cried tears of joy,”
She added that she is looking forward to competing in Michigan. “I’m very nervous about it,” she added.
According to high school players Kennedi Sipes of Crestline and Ella Evak of Buckeye Central, the high school players are as excited about playing in the game as the Special Olympians.
Sipes, who was acknowledged at halftime for having appeared in three of the six games, said that playing in the game is extremely important.
“It really does mean a lot,” Sipes said. “Just getting a chance to include everyone and see everyone make baskets and everyone just be happy for each other. It’s really something special.”
The high school players made a point of being sure that the Special Olympians were the stars of the show.
“We always make a chance to look to make one more pass to the open person.” Sipes added.
Like Sipes, Evak loved her opportunity to play.
“It means everything because you just want to try and help out with all the kids,” Evak said. “And they really love being around everybody and just being able to be included.”
Evak said that being in a game like this is an experience for her.
“I want to be a teacher so just being around this kind of atmosphere is good,” Evak said. “Plus, I just love basketball, so it was fun, and I really wanted to do it.”
The other events that were held were a second-grade coloring contest and a middle school poster contest.
In the coloring contest, Bria Ruth of Wynford Elementary was the winner, while Marabel Kepler of Bucyrus Elementary was second and Bexlee Rittenour of Hannah Crawford Elementary was third.
In the poster contest, Violet Rossman of William Crawford Intermediate was the winner, while Lily Pittman of Wynford was second and Logan Laipply of Wynford was third.
“This is our biggest event to get networking, get exposure, get a big crowd out here,” Sturts said. “But as far as funds raised, those go to several organizations throughout the community.”