European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Instructors encourage runners during a race at the san Vito air station special olympics in Italy. A amps Gary Millar special olympics winning is icing on the cake by Gary Miller Mediterranean Bureau d Ania Curto waited anxiously in her wheelchair for her turn. Although the 19-year-old suffers from a neurological disorder and has Little control of her limbs she was about to compete in Frisbee and. Softball throws. Quot in a emotional and excited not afraid Quot curio said. Quot i m very Happy to be  physical education teacher from the Dante Alighieri school in Brindisi Italy held her up so she could toss the Frisbee. It fell to the ground about a Yard from her feet but volunteers and other competitors applauded her Effort.  the applause was repeated throughout the Day for the 97 italian athletes who competed in the special olympics sponsored by the americans at san Vito air station. Quot those children have Many difficulties Quot said Andriano Barranco a therapist at the Brindisi Institute of the family. Quot to run jump and throw a Ball is challenging for them physically and mentally. To be Here and meet other people is the Best part for them. Winning is  Carmela Gemma s daughter Fernanda ran the 50-meter dash for the Francavilla Fontana occupational Center a. A these games Are very important for these very special children Quot Carmela Gemma said. Quot it s a Chance for them to realize the social part of their lives. Quot it s a credit to the american air Force for organizing. This because in Southern Italy the people and institutions seem to forget a lot of important  this year s special olympics was the base s fifth. About 300 air station personnel and family members  i a volunteered to Host seven teams from italian schools and other organizations near the base. The air station is located seven Miles from the Eastern italian port of. Brindisi. A. ,. Volunteers prepared the Field served As translators and Hugger recorded statistics and cooked hamburgers for lunch. They came from throughout the air station but members of the 6917th electronic group headed the committees said staff sgt Michael Perry one of the games coordinators. A. A a it a our Puppy a Perry said explaining that the olympics was the 6917th�?Ts primary Community relations Effort each year. \ the Competition included seven events three individual races a relay Long jump softball and Frisbee throws. Although the International special olympics. Organization sanctions san Vito s games winners from the base s Competition do not Advance to a higher level Perry said. At san Vito game organizers try to present As Many awards As possible to recognize the athletes efforts a. Italy has regional and National games through which athletes can Advance to the International games. Alessandro Deruvo 22, from a team in nearby Taranto is headed for the International summer games in Minneapolis in july although he ran and did the Long jump at san Vito he said he prefers gymnastics the. Category in which he will compete at Minneapolis. He earned a Gold medal in gymnastics at last summer s games in Glasgow Scotland. Quot life took away a lot from our children. In so amp to. They can do something Quot said Giacomo Russo whose son Antonio competed for the  Mesagno. Quot we need to say thank you Many times Over to the base for sponsoring this  Lucia cipolletta tosses a softball in the special olympics at san Vito air station. A amps Gary Miller a Ltd it it. It it it it a i a quote ,. A v a \ it j. A Jet Dot x it we x j for a amps Roger Macray. A amps Gary Miller Vincenzo Romanelli helps Dania Curto in the Frisbee throw at san Vito. Sunshine olympics military communities throughout Europe hold a variety of games similar to the special olympics although those that Are not officially sanctioned carry different names. Heidelberg Germany for example dubbed its games Sunshine olympics. Children from neighbouring Karlsruhe Mannheim and Worms joined Heidelberg youngsters in 20 events that included everything from Hula hoops to spoon races. Most of the 125 children who took part in the event at Patrick Henry Village do not have handicaps that would qualify them for official special olympics activities said Joan Morehead coordinator of Heidelberg a exceptional family member program. Instead the Sunshine olympics included children a a a a any educational or medical special need. Grins hugs and salutes by Peggy Davidson Kaiserslautern Bureau the sergeant major solemnly placed the medal around the grinning athlete s Nock then a saluted smartly. A handshake and hug followed on the three tiered award platform As the youngster received a top. Prize at the .1991 Kaiserslautern special olympics a fun. Filled Day of successes. Meanwhile track and Field events were going on simultaneously before almost empty bleachers the spectators were Down on the Field among the athletes cheering them on and offering hugs at the end of each event. A a. The special olympics featured 135cathletes from 8 to 60 years old. More than 100 children Ages 3 to 7, took part in the non competitive Kinder olympics held at the same time last month at the . Military s athletic Field at Vogel Weh Germany. Coordinators and volunteers included army and air Force members from the Kaiserslautern military Community. Manuela Sebastian from a German school in Kusel carried in the traditional olympic Torch to kick off the Day s events. To Start the games the athletes repeated the special olympics motto Quot let me win but if i cannot win let me be. Brave in the  students from six German schools and nine american schools competed in the Long jump soccer Ball kick softball throw Frisbee toss and various races. In Kinder olympics the children tried a Long jump measured in centimetres and tossed bean bags at a for a amps Roger Macray above left at the Sunshine olympics 9-year-old Triston Brown of Mannheim crawls through the obstacle course while Ursula Rowlan left and Darla Riegler cheer him on. Above Sonny Grimm 4, of Karlsruhe concentrates on making a Frisbee ringer at Heidelberg. A Large number covered cloth inside the gymnasium the youngsters played games and were led through tunnels  and up Steps to test their agility. Some of the younger athletes suspiciously eyed the midget level obstacle courses but volunteers kept each child steady through the course and by the time they leached the ride on a carpet covered roller at the end. The children were giggling with Delight a. Some even tried to sneak an extra ride on the roller and perhaps gain an extra prize in the process. A big Grin split Martin March s face As he tossed his. Second softball nearly double the distance of his first. Throw.  throw you did great Man Quot said Eric Apsens a Volunteer from Ternbach a. Two athletes and a chaperone from the Kaiserslautern games will Fly to the. International special olympics summer games in Minneapolis in july Courtesy of Northwest airlines. A Matthew Lee Beggs and Jason Scruggs both from. I wipers lantern High school were chosen for their athletic Atli Lity and their sportsmanship. While they won t a participate in the Minneapolis Competition,.they will take part in non competitive activities such As the opening Day Parade said Virginia Span a special olympics spokeswoman. Athletes from Kaiserslautern cannot compete in Minneapolis because this year is Only the second year that the Kaiserslautern games have been sanctioned Sloan said. Special olympics games must be sanctioned for four years before the areas athletes can compete in the International event. For a amps Roger Macray Francesca Jeffery 5, of Heidelberg clowns around with Lee Miles. Page 14 a the stars and stripes monday. 1 of 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 15