The Special Olympics is coming to Charleston on Friday, bringing together over 1,000 people to compete and to celebrate the diversity and accomplishments of people with disabilities.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at O’Brien Field and is anticipated to draw over 1,000 Olympians and a couple hundred volunteers, said Christy Hooser, assistant professor for the Department of Special Education.

The Special Olympics is an athletic event for individuals with disabilities to compete in different events to win, Hooser said.

“They train for these events every year, and if they win in their division, they can move on to the state level,” she said.

Some of the events include running races, softball throw, long jump and bocce ball, Hooser said.

The Olympians get medals when they win, but winning is not the point, Hooser said.

“Everyone that competes is a winner. They are going to be praised, cheered for, and hugged regardless of if they finished in first or eighth place, and that is more important than that they can move on to the state or national level. The point is that they finished,” Hooser said.

Hooser said that anyone is welcome at the event and they can use all the volunteers they can get.

“[Volunteers] can sign in at the registration table and we’ll have a job for them,” she said.

Hooser has been involved with the Special Olympics for 15 years and said the greatest reward is the feeling that you get in knowing that you helped someone accomplish their goal.

“Your heart’s a little bit bigger that day, and it helps you appreciate the things you’ve been blessed with,” she said.

Volunteers will begin arriving at the event as early as 7:30 a.m., and the parade of Olympians will begin at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Christy Hooser or Kathleen Shank in the Department of Special Education at 581-5315.