DTOC Donation To Special Olympics – 2014

In September, The Downtown Optimist Club of Meridian reaffirmed their support for local special needs teachers by presenting a donation of $500 to Special Needs Teach Kristie Anders to help defray the costs associated with having her students participate in the Meridian Special Olympics.

In previous years, the DTOC has provided funds to help the children design their own buckets to care their equipment and materials to the field. These buckets also doubled as seats for the children throughout the competition. The children also have designed their own t-shirts and previous donations have assisted in having the shirts created to encourage the sense of a team to all the students who participate in Special Olympic events.

Kristie Anders has been a special needs teacher in Meridian for many years and on multiple occasions she and her students have been invited to join the DTOC membership for lunch. On such occasions, the children have enthusiastically explained to our members about the events they participate in and their classroom studies.