Special Olympics Forsyth County promoting fair and free physicals
In above photo: Special Olympics MedFest logo (File photo)
Special to The Chronicle
Special Olympics Forsyth County will hold an adapted sports fair and MedFest with free sports physicals and health screenings on Saturday, Aug. 29, as part of a recruiting and retention campaign for Special Olympics.
Both events will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Gateway YWCA, 1300 S. Main St., Winston-Salem.
MedFest® will provide free sports physicals to current and prospective Special Olympics athletes, as well as general health assessments and screenings to assess blood pressure, pulse, weight, body mass index, vision, hearing and more. Participants will also be able to complete a Special Olympics Athlete Participation Form on site.
Concurrent with MedFest will be a Special Olympics Sports Expo & Community Adapted Sports Fair. Representatives for sports and activities that have been adapted for participants with disabilities will be available to discuss their programs.
Sports and activities that will be represented include baseball, wheelchair basketball, ice hockey, bocce, roller skating, tennis, volleyball, horseback riding, dance, martial arts, yoga and more, said Lisa Kiser, the coordinator for Special Olympics Forsyth County.
“We’re holding both events at the same time to provide a ‘one-stop shop’ where folks can learn more about opportunities to participate in Special Olympics and then complete the necessary paperwork and medical screenings,” Kiser said. “Not only do we want to increase participation and awareness for Special Olympics, but more importantly we want to improve their health and wellness, and also make a connection between people with intellectual disabilities and health-care providers.”
The health screenings and physicals will be performed by volunteers from local health agencies and clinical training programs. Additional support for the events is being provided by the Winston-Salem Foundation and the Family Support network.
Special Olympics Forsyth County provides year-round sports training and athletic competitions in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and share friendships.
For more information about Special Olympics Forsyth County, call CityLink 311 or go to WePLAY.ws and click on the Special Populations link.
