Every Tuesday, when most students are going home to relax after a long day at school, CCES student Catherine Shoffner volunteers her time to help a cause that means a lot to her: the Special Olympics. Catherine is a sophomore and serves as the captain of the girl’s golf team. Even with all of these things on her plate, she still takes the time out of her week to help children with special needs learn how to play golf. When asked why she spends such a large portion of her time helping kids with special needs, Catherine said, “Golf is my passion and helping children is my passion, so it’s like the best of both worlds.”

While volunteering, Catherine helps groups of children with mental illnesses, most commonly Down Syndrome or Profound Autism, do what most people see as simple tasks. She helps them play putting games, work on their chip shots, and watches them work on the driving range, which are no small feats for these kids. Though not at all easy, Catherine still loves her time with the kids. “It gives them confidence and a chance to compete and win prizes; at the same time, they’re also learning to play a lifelong sport,” she adds.

On November 11th, the Special Olympics will be held in Conestee Park. For the past several months, volunteers have been working with the kids to help get them ready for the games. The games themselves are a big event in Greenville and mean a lot to the children with special needs, their families, and the people who donate their time to work with the kids. Because the event is so big, help is always welcome. If you can’t volunteer and would still like to support the Special Olympics, you can donate money to help fund the games or give old sports supplies such as used golf clubs, that go a long way to helping the kids.