RAF Mildenhall sports day brings special athletes together

  • Published
  • By Karen Abeyasekere
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

As the sound of laughter and excited chattering rang out, a bagpiper led a parade of special athletes as they walked around Hangar 711 and performed a torch ceremony, signaling the start of the Joan Mann Special Sports Day event on RAF Mildenhall Sept. 22, 2018.

 

Almost 200 special-needs children and more than 100 caregivers from 28 schools around England enjoyed a day of fun and games at the 37th annual event. Approximately 600 volunteers from RAF Mildenhall, RAF Lakenheath, Airman Leadership School at RAF Feltwell, and RAF Honington assisted the special athletes.

 

“I was an athlete escort last year and I had a really good time doing that, so I wanted to have a little bit more involvement with it, which is why I decided to step up and be one of the committee leads this year, as opposed to being one of the athlete escorts,” said Master Sgt. Philip Curry, 352nd Special Operations Maintenance Group first sergeant and co-lead of the JMSSD committee.

 

“This is the biggest community outreach event we have in the tri-base area and between 200 and 300 athletes come on base every year,” he said. “It’s a really good opportunity for the U.S. Air Force through the community outreach to show that we care about the local community, and it gives the athletes a chance to come on base and compete in games they wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to compete in. Everybody wins with this event!

 

“These kids are fired up and they want to compete,” Curry said enthusiastically. “They’re all having a really good time, and a lot of the escorts and other volunteers are feeding off of their energy.”

 

Participants competed in individual and team events, including putt-putt golf, bowling, football kick, obstacle course, wheelchair slalom, 500-yard run and American football throw.

 

Neil Draper is one of the special athletes who has attended the event since it began and was the torch bearer for this year’s event, and his mother, Daphne Draper, was full of praise for those who made the JMSSD happen.

 

“We’d like to say a big thank you to all of the volunteers as I think they’re wonderful. The whole set up is really very good and they’re very kind,” she said.

 

In addition to the sporting events, special athletes were able to interact with therapy dogs, see an American fire truck and security forces vehicle, see explosive ordnance disposal equipment, and view a KC-135 Stratotanker, CV-22 Osprey and C-130J Commando II.

 

Joan Mann was a Ministry of Defence employee who worked in the RAF Mildenhall Public Affairs office many years ago. She organized the special sports day as a way to offer special-needs people a day of fun, and bring the military and local community closer together.

 

This year’s event committee began planning in February, and volunteers were crucial to making the day a big success. Iris Weimer previously worked on RAF Mildenhall for 40 years and has volunteered at the event since its inception 37 years ago.

 

“Joan was my special friend and I used to help her because this event is a good cause and a wonderful thing,” she said, “Everyone is so kind, and I enjoy it and get so much out of this myself,” Weimer said. “To see all these people here, who are so happy and so loving, I look forward to this every year as much as they all do. Being with all the people is what I love – it’s so wonderful to look around and see how happy everyone is.

 

“This event means everything to me – it’s been a big part of my life for so many years and I plan to stay involved with it for as long as I can,” Weimer said.