Special Olypmics holding Saturday festival
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on September 16, 2009 1:46 PM
A Special Olympics celebration/fundraiser Saturday will feature singing, games, food and a lot more. And those attending will have the opportunity to learn about Special Olympics, too.
The event will be held at Herman Park from 3 to 7 p.m. and is being sponsored by Whitley Church, The Bridge Church, Wayne County Chapter of the American Red Cross, Andy's Cheesesteaks, Goldsboro Parks and Recreation and Frederick's Music.
The event will be a day of celebration, awareness for Special Olympics and a fundraiser, said Jimmy Bryant, pastor of children's church and outreach at Whitley Church.
The featured speaker will be Miss North Carolina Julie Tesch. She will entertain, accept donations and sign autographs. Several groups also will present her with checks for Special Olympics.
Mayor Al King and representatives from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base will open up the event.
There will be performances by several local musicians, including the Matt Bartlett Band, an upbeat, contemporary Christian group from Mount Olive.
Singer/songwriter D.J. Coles also will perform some of his Christian music songs. He is the youth chaplain at the base.
Nicole Chestnutt will sing and dance.
Dance For Christ, under the direction of Patricia Warren, will do a 30-minute dance performance.
The Starlight Jazz Band will conclude the festivities with music.
Members of Project Jump will give a performance to showcase their jump rope talents.
The Witness Mime Team will mime to Christian songs.
For the children, there will be four inflatables and games. In addition, staff with Stepping Stones Therapeutic Riding Stables will give free horse rides.
The Red Cross will be on hand with hurricane preparedness information and handouts. They will have demonstrations and walk-throughs to prepare people in the event a hurricane hits Wayne County.
Whitley Church will have a booth about special needs children and the church.
If visitors get hungry, Andy's Cheesesteaks will be selling various menu items with all of the profits going to Special Olympics. And Whitley Church's Royal Rangers Troop 46 will be making and selling funnel cakes.
The event is free to the public.
In case of rain, the event will move inside to Herman Park Center.
"We want the public to come out. We want all Special Olympians to come out," Bryant said. "Special Olympics is a tremendous program. We want to bring an awareness to Special Olympics.
"It will be a good family time. You'll hear great music, see great dancing and have some good food."
For more information about the event, call 735-5411.