LYNN — Students from the city’s public schools spent Tuesday morning jumping around in bounce houses, riding horses, and participating in rounds of bean-bag toss and lawn bowling at the district’s 53rd Annual Special Games.
The Special Games spans the entire district’s special education department.
“[The students] get to come and attend and participate in all of the special events, we have activities, we have pony rides, we have the Fire Department, we have bouncy houses, and it’s a really fun day,” Special Education Department Assistant Director Stacy Pena said.
Many from the community, including Mayor Jared Nicholson, City Council President Jay Walsh, City Councilor Coco Alinsug, and the Police and Fire departments, came out to support and cheer on the students.
Tuesday’s event kicked off with the Police Department arriving at Manning Field with a flag and torch, before passing them off to Lynn English Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps students. Students, educators, and parents then paraded around the field.
Lynn Rotary Club has been a sponsor of the event for more than 50 years, Rotarian Ray Bastarache said. He said the rotary is “delighted” to be a sponsor.
This year their sponsorship, along with that of the Reading Cooperative Bank, went toward getting the students T-shirts.
“Lynn Rotary, throughout its more than 100-year history, has really supported the children and the youth of Lynn,” Rotarian Jean-Marie Minton said. “That’s what this is about, celebrating all the young people of Lynn.”
Other sponsors of the event included Capano & McGloin LLP, St. Jean’s Credit Union Charitable Foundation, Columbia Insurance Agency, K Security Systems, Marion Street Auto Body, and the Knights of Pythias.
Special Games Event Coordinator Lisa Nerich, an associate commissioner in the Department of Public Works, said the Special Games this year went very well. All of the sponsors, educators, organizers, and chaperones worked together to ensure the day’s success, she said.
“I couldn’t ask for a better day,” Nerich said. “It’s nice to see the children smile and happy, and they had a beautiful day out on Manning Field.”
Kristen Homan, a clinical supervisor at Lynn Public Schools, said this was her first year attending the event.
“This is amazing,” Homan said. “I think this is such a great thing for them, to be able to get out, and they are so unbelievably excited.”
At the end of the Special Games, each athlete was awarded with a medal.
