TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hundreds of people plunged into the water at Adventure Island Sunday, all for Special Olympics Florida.
“We are raising critical funds, which if we didn’t have the funding, we wouldn’t be able to do competitions, provide uniforms, travel, food, lodging,” said Vice President of Development Jen Silvers. “Our athletes pay nothing to compete.”
Athletes like Special Olympics gold medalist, Jacob Sare.
“The friendship you get, the excitement you get just from getting to go out there and compete and see the smiles on my fellow athletes, it’s just phenomenal,” Sare explained.
All of the proceeds go to Special Olympics Florida to help provide year-round training and services for thousands of athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The idea is to help athletes like Sare thrive and excel.
“He had speech therapy and he had not been around a lot of people as you can see, he’s a whole different person,” Silvers explained. “He speaks eloquently, he is confident and he’s happy.”
“That’s what Special Olympics does for so many of our athletes,” she added. “It changes their lives completely.”
If you weren’t able to take the plunge Sunday, you can still donate here.