LYNN — The city hosted the 55th Lynn Special Games on Tuesday morning at Manning Field, sponsored by the Rotary Club and Reading Cooperative Bank.
The field was lined with a crowd of people on one end and a string of giant inflatable slides and bouncy houses on the other. The event provides interactive, inclusive games for the kids to enjoy, as well as other recreational activities.
Administrator of Special Education Christina Colella began the day by delivering opening remarks.
“I want to give a special thank you to so many high school students from Lynn Vocational Technical Institute, ROTC from Lynn English… A special thank you to our teachers and support staff who are here to make this day incredible for our students,” Colella said. “Also, a special thank you to our major sponsors, the Lynn Rotary, Reading Cooperative Bank, and Kings Moving and Storage. In addition, we have many other sponsors that help make this event possible.”
Then Mayor Jared C. Nicholson welcomed the crowd and shared his excitement for the event.
“On behalf of the city of Lynn, I am so excited to welcome everyone to the Lynn Special Games 2025,” Nicholson said to rising applause. “Thank you so much to the Lynn Public Schools team for organizing this amazing event, and to all the volunteers and sponsors here that make this such an important moment.”
Nicholson said that he wants Lynn to be a city where everyone is welcomed and supported, and that it starts with its students. “Everyone means everyone, and that means the community goes the extra mile to create important opportunities for us to gather, celebrate, play and find joy with one another in this beautiful weather,” he said.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Evonne Alvarez talked about how it’s important to give students as many opportunities as possible.
“Today is a fabulous day, it’s beautiful out, and we’re so excited that our students have this opportunity,” Alvarez said. “We want to thank our sponsors and all the educators at Lynn Public Schools who helped make this happen.”
State Rep. Sean Reid shared his gratitude toward the sponsors that helped bring back the event that has become a staple for the community.
“This is an exciting day every year, thank you to everyone from the Lynn Rotary Club and the city… Also to all public safety officials and everyone else who’s here today making this happen,” Reid said. “We’re really excited to make this happen for the kids, and this means a lot to me as a School Committee member and the husband of a Special Education teacher.”
President of the Lynn Rotary Club Jean-Marie Minton also shared her thoughts on helping bring the event to life.
“This is the 55th Lynn Special Games, and the Lynn Rotary Club has been a sponsor from the very beginning,” Minton said. “That’s how committed Lynn Rotary is to making a difference in the community and bringing in as many people and businesses as possible.”
“We’re just so excited to be a part of this,” Reading Cooperative Bank Vice President and Mortgage Loan Officer Maureen Bernard said. “We sponsor this every year, and we’re here to be in the community… We just love to support the kids.”
