Scott organizations start Special Olympics program Published June 13, 2012 By Airman 1st Class Jake Eckhardt 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- The Airman and Family Readiness Center and Exceptional Family Member Program have created a Special Olympics program to give children with special needs a chance to excel in activities limited by their abilities. The ongoing program gives children with special needs an opportunity to compete against other children within a similar program in the southern Illinois area. "Our families who have children with special needs deserve the opportunity to be able to do the things that other families get to do," said Brenda Reed, A&FRC exceptional family member program family support specialist. The first-ever Special Olympics golf team has practices at the Cardinal Creek Golf Course from 5-6 p.m. every Wednesday in preparation for the Special Olympics Golf Tournament in Edwardsville, Ill., June 29. The softball team will also be practicing at the baseball diamonds by ALS from 5-6 p.m. every Monday to prepare for the Special Olympics Softball Tournament in Highland, Ill., on July 19. "A lot of the families have multiple children, so the child or children oftentimes don't have the same opportunity as the other children," she said. The program is designed to bring families together, and to also give the disabled children on base an opportunity to make friends. "I'm hoping that this will help the children make friends, and this will introduce families who deal with the same struggles," Reed said. The EFMP is the only Department of Defense-sponsored Special Needs program at Scott. "When they have special needs, they just get to sit on the sidelines, but with this program they get to be a part of the team," said Alice Howe, a Special Olympics coach and mother of a special needs child. For more information on volunteering for the program, call Brenda Reed at 256-8668 or email her at brenda.reed.4@us.af.mil.