The annual Kiwanis Special Games took place June 4 at De Anza College in Cupertino.
Los Altos resident and Kiwanian Walter Chronert, who co-founded these games, chaired the event again this year.
Chronert and adaptive PE teachers Betty Fairchild and Sue Carr Katra first organized the games in 1979 as a way to focus on the physically handicapped or limited students of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. The first annual competition was held at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills.
The Los Altos Kiwanis Club soon could not handle the large number of participants, so they invited all the clubs in Division 34 to join them.
The clubs made this a Division 34 project and contributed funds and volunteers in order to pay for T-shirts, ribbons and other items.
Every participant received a shirt and participation ribbon this year. Winners of each game were presented with a first-, second- or third-place ribbon. About 30 schools sent representatives to the competition.
Chronert was assisted by Ray Snyder and Joe Cammarata. Gayle Joslin coordinated the adaptive PE teachers and handled registration and computer printouts. Dr. Tom Beggs was the coordinator for De Anza, where he works in the adaptive PE department.