The morning sun beating down on a Lloyd Ray Smith Area 4 Special Olympics Games for the first time since 2019 on Saturday morning, director Judy Rogers scanned the Hixson High School football field filled with 102 Special Olympians, broke into a wide smile and said, “It’s so wonderful to be together again.”
This was Rogers’ 50th Games. The Area 4 event has now been held 52 times at various high schools across the Chattanooga area, including McCallie, Ooltewah and Red Bank.
“Let’s make sure we put all our trash in trash cans so they invite us back,” Rogers announced at one point to several handclaps.
But most of the applause was quite deservedly reserved for the athletes themselves, who have been without their signature event for the past two springs, their annual competitions derailed by the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’ve been angry since 2020,” said 47-year-old Chad Brandon, who works at the McCallie cafeteria during the week and was anxious to again win a medal in the 50-meter run and softball throw. “I wait all year for this.”