There are two sessions in Idaho for Opening Eyes in 2010, one at the State Winter Games and one at the Regional Summer Games.  This will be the first time Healthy Athletes screenings have been held at regional games or the Winter Games.  The disciplines will be split up between Friday and Saturday, which will give the athletes more opportunity to participate as there will be more time available between the two days.

The Special Olympics Idaho Winter Games were held in McCall and Cascade, Idaho, on March 12 and 13, 2010.  About 300 athletes participated in events such as floor hockey, Nordic and alpine skiing, and snow shoeing. 

Opening Eyes was held in Cascade on March 13.  Ninety-eight athletes were screened.  The 26 general volunteers, including Lions from Boise Bench, Boise Riverside, Boise Capital, Star, and Cascade, screened 98 athletes.  Fifty of those athletes needed new or updated prescriptions and another 35 received new sunglasses.

Thenal The Regional Summer Games in Boise will be the next location with Opening Eyes operating on Saturday May 8, 2010, at Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, Idaho.

            Volunteers need to initially register and complete online orientation with Special Olympics Idaho at www.idso.org.  Even if you worked on Opening Eyes in the past, you will still need to register as a volunteer; however, your registration will now be good for 3 years.  When you reach Section II of the registration, please select "Healthy Athletes".  As we get closer to the dates, volunteers will need to volunteer online for the Healthy Athletes event(s) as a separate entry.  Volunteers will also need to contact Curt Kelley to confirm their availability.  If you have questions about registration, please email Opey Freedle.  For any other questions about Opening Eyes, please contact Curt Kelley by email or phone at (208)859-3642.

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