Roofest Special Olympics drawing more sponsors

March 13--Weatherford Independent School District is trying to outdo the success of last year's Roofest Special Olympics when they are held April 27th at Kangaroo stadium.

The event has picked up more sponsors and has always had strong support from the community, said WISD special programs director Patti Young.

Businesses have been contributing more to this year's events, Young said.

"It's just a time for parents to see their kids perform and do other things, that sometimes they don't get to," she said.

The event allows students in the district and Parker County to showcase athletic abilities, Young said.

"We're just really excited. This is just a way of being able to do more for them," she said. "Seeing the kids be able to compete in athletics that they never get to do ... we have races, we have all kinds of stuff," she said.

The parade is Young's favorite part of the event, she said.

"They're in a field, they're in the parade, we do it just like the Olympics," she said. "It's just their way of being able to (have) their parents see them in a whole new different setting showing independence. That's the best part, is the kids."

"The parade just gets me all excited, and then after they go to each event they get a ribbon and they get to show them off and it's a big deal when you see all the kids wearing the ribbons," Young continued. "It is the kids and seeing their faces."

The community always enjoys the annual event, Young said.

"We've just really had a good response," she said.

Seeing how much the community supports the Roofest every year means a lot, Young said.

"I cried from excitement," she said of observing how much support the event has gotten over the years. "What's really nice is since we've been telling parents about it, they've really been thrilled."

Events like the Roofest can deepen the district's partnerships with parents, Young said.

"It just raises the level of quality in what we're doing, plus it creates more of a partnership," she said. "They feel very vested into what we're doing and they're invested in their children."

The events are also open to regional school districts as well, Young said.

"Peaster, Poolville, Brock, we do it for all the districts that can't put on (something) because they're smaller. They all come. That's really the cool thing because it's a community effort," she said. "Azle comes, Burleson comes, we have Springtown come, lots of schools districts that come to the event."

Recognizing special education students is critical, Young said.

"I think that they deserve to get more recognition than they deserve sometimes," she said.

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