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By Kimberly MackesySummer Bruin Staff

Nearly 2,000 athletes from all corners of the state descended on UCLA Friday, marking the start of the 26th annual California Special Olympics Summer Games.

The Special Olympics program is designed to provide athletic training and competition for mentally retarded children and adults. Programmers said they strive to help the participants develop confidence, personal qualities and abilities that will help them in all areas of life.

"It¹s a wonderful opportunity for us to show the world that people with mental retardation can contribute," said Dave Dill, director of the Summer Games.

The Summer Games include eight events, among them track and field, aquatics, gymnastics and tennis. Although California Special Olympics holds several competitions each year ­ encompassing a total of 20 sports ­ the Summer Games is the largest, officials said. More than 26,000 athletes and 30,000 volunteers throughout California take part in the games.

Special Olympics was founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Since then, Special Olympics has grown to include over 140 countries. In 1969, the California branch of Special Olympics was created. Rafer Johnson, an Olympic gold and silver medalist in the decathlon, was a founding board member.

"This (competition) is the first time for a lot of the athletes to be slapped on the back for something they've done or achieved," Johnson said. He added that he felt the Special Olympics experience helps the athletes lead more successful lives.

Officials noted that many of the athletes return to the Special Olympics year after year.

Wanda Jean Williams has been competing in Special Olympics for over 12 years. As part of Athletes For Outreach, Williams helps recruit sponsors and raise community awareness by speaking about Special Olympics.

"I enjoy it because it gives me something to do. It makes me forget about my problems," Williams said. "If I don't win, it's OK, because if I don't get a medal, I get a ribbon. I'm very happy to be here."

The California Special Olympics Summer Games has been held at UCLA for over 15 years. Officials said the tradition of holding the Summer Games at UCLA has helped the Games immensely.

"UCLA is a tremendous facility. It helps us a lot to be able to say that we're at UCLA," said Richard Van Kirk, president and CEO of California Special Olympics.

Various campus organizations have donated their time to help raise funds for the Summer Games. ASUCLA and the UCLA Police Department have contributed to the effort. The UCLA Medical Center was the Games' primary site for medical assistance, and doctors also volunteered at the events.

The Anderson Graduate School of Management was one of the largest on-campus groups to raise funds for the project, Van Kirk said. Management students organized an "MBA Challenge for Charity," hoping to raise $75,000 for Special Olympics. The school held a silent auction, a live auction and other fund-raising events.

"(AGSM has been) very helpful. Students like to do it ­ it softens the image of the hard, driven businessperson who only cares about money," Van Kirk said.

While officials maintain that Special Olympics changes the lives of many of the athletes, they are quick to assert that the 2,500 volunteers take away just as much from the experience.

"(Volunteers are) just average, general citizens that are moved by Special Olympics," Dill said. "Some of them come back year in and year out ... It¹s one of those things that you do that¹s not for the money ... It¹s special."

The volunteers themselves said the satisfaction on the athletes' faces mirrored their own.

"The pleasure the kids have is just amazing. (Volunteering) has been the most enjoyable experience I've ever had," said first-time volunteer Carmen Arvisu.

Marvin Weitzenhoffer, president of Plantique, Inc., has been organizing a "Plant-a-Tree" booth for several years. Children are given small plastic pots and allowed to transplant their plant themselves.

"It¹s great when the kids come back two to three years later and say 'remember me?' and tell me their plant is still alive, or that it died and they want another one ... the response of the kids is so rewarding," Weitzenhoffer said.

The three-day event ended Sunday, as athletes and volunteers took part in the closing ceremonies.

UCLA hosts California Special Olympics