Menlo School hosts Special Olympics Menlo School hosts Special Olympics (May 18, 2005)

For the 14th consecutive year, Menlo School will host a Special Olympics' track and field competition on Saturday, May 21, at Cartan Field on the Atherton school's campus.

Activities begin at 9 a.m. with opening ceremonies and the lighting of an Olympic torch, and will continue to 2 p.m.

About 120 athletes are expected to participate in traditional track and field events as well as adaptive events, such as the softball throw. The public is invited and admission is free.

The Special Olympics provides year-round training and competition opportunities to developmentally disabled people.

Menlo School students and parents help staff the events. High school students will team up with athletes as buddies. Middle school students and parents will organize and run the Olympic Village, which has games and sports activities for athletes and their buddies between events.

Volunteers from Woodside Elementary School also will help out in the Olympic Village.

All athletes will receive T-shirts, designed by a Menlo student, as well as sport bags, donated by Greater Bay Bancorp Foundation; Gatorade sport bottles; and an award.

Community support for the event comes from diverse organizations that have made donations and given prizes or discounts on food and beverages. Supporters include Sigona's Farmer's Market, See's Candies, Trader Joe's, Peet's Coffee, Sodexho Services, and Jamba Juice as well as the Atherton Police Department, South San Francisco police officers, and Menlo School parents.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.