WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's ChoiceDover Special Olympics

Dover Special Olympics

Dover, Del.- The heart of a champion can never be measured by achievement alone.
     Twenty-Seven year old Melissa Rust is a competitor in the Delaware Special Olympics bowling tournament. She loves the thrill of competition but admits being apprehensive on game day.
Melissa Rust, Special Olympic Bowler says:
 "at first it makes me a little nervous, but once I get the hang of it I'm doing good"
  "I've been bowling for twenty years".
      Melissa may be intellectually challenged -- but her mother Fay learned valuable lessons in life by watching her daughters daily perseverance.
 Fay Rust, Mother of Melissa says:
 "She's taught me patience and understanding, she's taught me how to love......she's really taught me how to love everybody".
      Three hundred mentally disabled children and adults competed for over 200 medals and ribbons, but perhaps the biggest winner are those that built relationships for a lifetime.
 "also create friendship that they wouldn't be able to create in other aspects of their life, it just gives them that social opportunity plus an athletic experience".
 Over 17 hundred special olympic athletes competed state wide for prizes, prestige and perhaps some bragging rights among friends.