Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Tornado warnings in Sangamon County and throughout the area Wednesday simply weren’t enough to keep police officers or local Special Olympians from continuing their journey toward this weekend’s Special Olympics Summer Games in Bloomington.

“We kind of left a little bit earlier because the weather was coming on us; we didn’t know what was happening,” said Retired Illinois State Police Master Sergeant Diane VanderKooy, a coach for the local contingent.  “I got hunkered down in Virden in a fire house when the first alarms went off.  Then, Springfield’s calling me saying ‘We got sirens here, too.  But, it should go over.’  We’re very happy, because we’re here for the athletes.”

VanderKooy has been involved either as a law enforcement Torch Runner or as a coach for decades, and says she loves seeing the athletes compete at anything you would see at the Summer Olympics — even powerlifting.

“It’s just pure joy,” said VanderKooy.  “They’re doing exactly what they love to do, and we’re a part of it, and you have to feel it and be with them.  It’s such a unified experience when we go there as officers.”

As a law enforcement officer, Vanderkooy says this is an event she wouldn’t miss for the world.

“I’m an old athlete at heart, and I used to coach sports in the past.  This is a great fit, and I have so many parents and so many family members and I’ve had them become coaches for Special Olympics,” said Vanderkooy.  “It’s easy, because we’re a family, we’re tight-knit, and it takes a whole group of committed parents to give everything that these athletes need.”

VanderKooy says police officers and supporters raise money throughout the year to be able to help keep the games going and send their competitors there — ranging from annual Polar Plunges, to an annual event pairing officers up with a certain national donut chain.

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