Brian Kimmes

The South Dakota State University main campus is about to play host to the South Dakota Special Olympics Summer Games. The Olympics will take place May 18 through 20. The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, May 18 in Frost Arena. SDSU will be the site for most of the action, but the Brookings High School track will be used Saturday for track and field events.

The Summer Games are expected to attract more than 500 athletes to Brookings. The athletes have the option of spending their nights in the residential halls. Caldwell, Binnewies, Young and Pierson will be used to house any athlete who chooses to spend the night on campus.

The athletes vary greatly in age. The minimum age is eight and no maximum age exists. Four different age brackets exist for competition. In South Dakota, approximately 1,800 athletes participate in Special Olympics.

The organizer for the Olympics is Hansen Hall Residence Hall Director Kristen Carlisle. Carlisle was asked to take the lead in organizing the event. She said she volunteered at the Olympics as an undergraduate.

“It’s a great event for students to be involved with … it looks good on a resum