NEWARK, Del. – New Castle County Police Sergeant Karen Messner, a Special Olympics Delaware coach, departed with her track team for the site of the 2014 Special Olympics in Princeton, N.J. during a ceremony held Saturday at the University of Delaware.
Sgt. Messer, Co-coach Leanne Carson, and Special Olympics track runners Tasia Moore, Jakai Walker, Justin Hall, and Amy Gootzait left with the rest of the sizeable Special Olympics Delaware team after the ceremony held in front of UD’s Bob Carpenter Center.
“It’s our send-off day for the national competition in Princeton and our team is extremely excited,” Sgt. Messner said. “They’re ready. They’ve been practicing twice a week for three months. They had Summer Games last weekend and they did well.
“This means the world to them,” she added. “They get to stay in the dorm like their brothers and sisters do when they go to college. They get some independence away from their parents. And they get to show the world what they can do – how fast they are.”
In a statement, County Executive Tom Gordon commended Sgt. Messner for her long-term commitment to Special Olympics Delaware, and he wished the officer and her team the best of luck.
“I hope all of your hard work pays off during the games, and please remember to have fun above all else,” the Executive said.
For more information about Special Olympics Delaware, please visit http://www.sode.org/ or call (302) 831-4653. Also, please look for the special segment on Special Olympics Delaware scheduled to appear soon on NCCTV (Comcast Channel 22, Verizon. Channel 29).
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