WVCF crew enjoys setting up Bocce Ball courts for Special Olympics

Pictured From Left to Right: Special Olympics Sports Programs Manager Patrick Kozlowski, WVCF Maintenance Forman Timothy Squire, and Members of the WVCF Offender Labor Line

Wabash Valley Correctional Facility​

Every year, Wabash Valley Correctional Facility offenders help the Special Olympics by creating and assembling the Bocce courts each year in Terre Haute.

Bocce Ball is one of eight games offered to Special Olympics athletes. According to the Manager of Sports Programs for the Special Olympics, Patrick Kozlowski, Bocce Ball is one of the top four games with the highest number of participants.

The passion Kozlowski has for Special Olympics and the sense of family from these events give the participants is evident.

He stated, “Special Olympics offers not only Summer Games, but also a variety of other events throughout the year. The Winter Games which include Skiing, Snow Shoeing & Snow Boarding. Special Olympics host the largest basketball league in Indiana with around 30 All Women teams, 20 All Youth teams and several Male Teams.  In addition, there are EKS games that take place in the Fall and a Champions Together Program that is hosted by several High Schools.”
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The Summer Games host nearly 2,700 athletes participating and around 7,000 staff and volunteers assisting.  This is  Kozlowski's 5th year helping organize the Summer Games.

“You can see what the games mean to the athletes.  They are surrounded by people who volunteer their time and effort to share this experience with them,”  he said.

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