Local businesses raise money for Nevada Special Athletes
Nevada Special Athletes, Kitchen Essentials and Nine Patch Quilts held their second annual Summer Splash BBQ July 29.
Carla Mae Drake, a volunteer with Nevada Special Athletes, said, "A huge thank you to all of our donors and to Traci Cliffman at Kitchen Essentials. Also to everyone that came to help deliver. We couldn't have done it without you."
The group sold 161 brown bag meals consisting of a hotdog, chips, cookie, and bottle of water. In turn, they raised $856.
"The money will be used for two things," Head Coach Bonnie Franklin said. "We need to buy equipment for our new sport, Bocce, and we have to pay entry fees for our athletes that qualify to go to the state games each year."
Nevada Special Athlete's newest sport, Bocce, originated in Italy and resembles shuffleboard but is played with balls that are rolled by hand or pitched down a 90-foot soil or asphalt court. Franklin said the switch from bowling came about in order to make holding practice easier and to provide a change of pace for the athletes.
This is the second year for the Summer Splash event. When planning to celebrate her store's first anniversary last year, Cliffman said that she wanted someone there serving food that could benefit from the event and very quickly, her thoughts turned to Nevada Special Athletes.
Cliffman, a 19-year veteran teacher, said she has always had a special place in her heart for special needs children. She left teaching two years ago to pursue another dream as a small business owner.
Those who donated supplies or food in order to make the event possible, were: Erica Skouby's Nine Patch Quilt and Fabric, Sonic, United Methodist Women, Hardin Farms, Kitchen Essentials, Cliffman Farms, Andrea Douglas, Nevada R-5, White Grill, and others.
Franklin said more than 70 Nevada Special Athletes compete in Bocce, basketball, and track. In addition, the team has had numerous athletes qualify to compete at the state games over the past several years.