On Oct. 3, Spartans for Special Olympics will be hosting their first annual Special Olympics event at the Veale Center. The event brings 100 students with special needs from the greater Cleveland area to campus to spend a day playing games and attending events with their Buddy, a student volunteer from CWRU.

The main feature of the event will be a non-competitive soccer game, played with a giant soccer ball. There will also be a carnival hosted by various student organizations, including the Residence Hall Association. The carnival will also feature face painting, balloon animals, and a performance from the CWRU Juggling Club.

The opening ceremony of the event will feature guest speaker Dennis Rupert, the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, while university president Barbara Snyder will speak at the closing ceremony.

“[The Special Olympics] is merely a way for the community to come out and have fun, while gaining a really rewarding experience,” said Bradley Lai, the president of Spartans for Special Olympics.

The event is still in need of volunteers who are free on Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers will be partnered with a special needs child, who they will stay with for the entirety of the event. Volunteers can register on the group’s website.