During a recent meeting of the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders, a representative of Special Olympics Somerset County touted the work of various county officials for their support over the last 24 years.
Larry Hanko, area director of the county’s Special Olympics program, extolled the work of members of the county Roads and Bridges Division and the Somerset County Department of Corrections for their help.
“Without both of these departments, we would not be able to make this annual event so meaningful for our special needs population in Somerset County,” Hanko said.
Each year, Special Olympics Somerset County hosts its annual track-and-field meet at John Basilone Memorial Field in Bridgewater for about 375 special need competitors.
According to Hanko, transforming the field into a venue that will accommodate a variety of athletic competitions requires a lot of effort.
To help with the yearly effort, Somerset County Roads and Bridges loans and delivers supplies, including traffic barrels, fencing and traffic cones, that help volunteers arrange activities. Members of the Somerset County Department of Corrections oversee set up for competitions and the process of taking everything down and cleaning the field after the event is over.
During the freeholders’ meeting, Hanko specifically thanked “[Roads and Bridges Department Supervisor] Vinny Russo, Sheriff [Frank] Provenzano and their respective staffs.”
“We are truly grateful for their years of dedication and cooperation,” he said.
