Unified teams score big at Fall Games

Special Olympic unified bocce teams and individual athletes, unified golf teams and one individual golfer brought home an array of medals from the 2014 Special Olympics Alaska Fall Tournament in Anchorage on Sept. 14-15. They were among 200 athletes representing the communities of Anchorage, Ketchikan, Kodiak, the Matanuska-Susitna valley and Fairbanks, as well as Homer. Following are results for Homer athletes:

Unified Bocce Doubles, M1 division:
5. Homer team of Eddy Escalera and Peggy Brown; 

Unified Bocce Doubles, M2 division:
2. Nicholas Kvasnikoff and Brian Ormond; 3. Justin Smith and Russell Campbell;

Unified Bocce Doubles, M3 division:
2. Jody Herd and Belva Olsen;

Unified Bocce Doubles, F1 division:
3. Amber Becker and Ellie Logsdon;

Unified Bocce Doubles, F2 division:
1. Cheryl Blair and Alice Swaim.

Unified Golf-Level 2-Alter Shot Team, M1 division:
4. Johnnie Jones and Will Rich;

Unified Golf-Level 2-Alter Shot Team, F1 division: 1. Amber loop and Trynne Pikey.

Unified Golf-Level 4-Ind. Stroke Play 9 Holes, M2 division: 3. Larry Bonfiglio.

Saturday is officially “Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day,” honoring the woman known for her efforts to improve the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Local Special Olympic athletes will honor Shriver during bowling practice at Kachemak Bowl today, beginning at 3 p.m. 

“And we’ve decided to give out awards to people we feel have expanded the boundaries for people with disabilities in the past year,” said Carol Shuler, Homer area director for Special Olympics Alaska. “We’re going to honor Larry Bonfiglio, our first Level 4 golfer, and our unified triathlon team and their coach.”

Homer Special Olympics bowlathon is Oct. 18, and donations are currently being accepted to support the event. To donate, call Shuler at 235-9264.