Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Sunday, September 6th is the Special Olympics Illinois Region H Cardboard Boat Regatta. Get your crafty minds ready and let’s build a boat! Tara Nickerson, the Assistant Director of Special Olympics Illinois Region H, was a guest on the WTAX Morning Newswatch to discuss their upcoming Cardboard Boat Regatta!

With all the events in the area, all of the Special Olympians have been showcased, especially at the Illinois State Fair.

“We have got over 700 athletes with intellectual disabilities that participate in our activities throughout the year. Now, some of them, they might be in their 60s or 70s and maybe they only do bowling or cornhole because they are a little less physical. You have other athletes who are competing all year round because they just love the sense of community that they get by being with their fellow special Olympians. 
I love that the Illinois State Fair approached us this year about what we called the Sunflower Showmanship competition, and we had 20 athletes. This was the inaugural year, so we started small. They got to work with a 4 H mentor who kind of gave them instruction and helped them understand how to show their lambs. They did amazing!”

The competition is heating up for the event. How serious are we talking?

“Some of these boat builders, they get serious. 
We have Chatham Collision who’s been entering a boat for years now. They’re a great supporter of Special Olympics, Illinois, and I mean, they pull out all the stuffs. I’m always eager to see what their creation is going to look like, and they really do like a lot of detail work on it. 
Of course, we’ll have the standard cardboard box that’s just covered in some duct tape.”

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