Healthy Athletes Village provides health screenings for Special Olympians
Ludington resident Donna Nichols, 71, gets her eyes checked at the 2015 Special Olympics Michigan Summer Games Healthy Athlete Village on Friday.
For 13 years, Karen Roth said she has received more than she can ever give back during the Special Olympic Summer Games.
What Roth, coordinator for Special Smiles, has received is the smiles of thousands of special athletes as they visit the Special Smiles booth at the Heathy Athletes event.
Healthy Athlete Village, a program put on by Special Olympics Michigan, provided free health screenings and other medical care for athletes atCentral Michigan University's Indoor Athletic Complex Turf Bay.
"Athletes are given a brief dental exam and receive dental health education when they visit our booth," Roth said. "Volunteering and setting up Special Smiles is the best experience. I love meeting the athletes. They're just so happy and appreciative. You end up with a new group of great friends that you can see every year."
Maggie Sherman, a Special Olympian from Grayling, said she participated in volleyball before visiting the Healthy Athlete Village.
"My favorite booth is usually one that is passing out water because we need it after games," Sherman said. "I am also playing in softball. It's my favorite game at the Special Olympics and I also love making all these new friends."
In 2014, Special Smiles performed 600 oral screenings at the Summer Games. A total of 2,700 athletes had medical screenings in the Healthy Athlete Village. Many athletes competing in the games aren't covered by health insurance.
Each booth is run my medical professionals, medical assistants, students in the Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University, students in the Central Michigan University audiology program and students in the dental program at the University of Michigan, University of Detroit Mercy and Baker College.
"It grew from a small event to an international project," said Marvin Sonne, Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity Detroit chapter president. "I had one athlete I gave additional dental care to outside of the Special Olympic Games come up to me today and hug me. It is isn't easy for some of these athletes to find medical attention that will adhere to their needs."
Among Special Smiles were booths such as Opening Eyes, Healthy Hearing, Fit Feet, Health Promotion and MedFest. Last year, Opening Eyes conducted 1,112 vision screenings for athletes.
Jackie Mitchell, a volunteer at Opening Eyes dispensing frame selection booth, said Healthy Athletes is the best thing she has ever volunteered at.
"I've been volunteering for four years here. This event just brings such joy to my heart. The athletes give back to me through their smiles and warmth," Mitchell said. "Athletes are able to pick up their prescription at the end of the day or in the morning. If we don't have their specific prescription, we mail it out to them when we get it."
