About
Healthy Athletes
Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® is dedicated to providing accessible, evidence-based person-centered health screenings and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in a welcoming, fun environment. Since its inception in 1997, the Healthy Athletes program has delivered over 2 million free health screenings and In 2024 alone, Special Olympics Programs worldwide conducted 98,619 Healthy Athletes screenings. From these screenings, Programs reported 4,046 urgent and 19,077 non-urgent referrals for follow-up care due to health concerns or preventable risks identified during screenings.
The program offers nine distinct health screening disciplines to meet the specific health and wellness needs of Special Olympics athletes and individuals with IDD across the lifespan and we are able to offer six of those at Summer Games:
- Opening Eyes (vision/eye health)
- Healthy Hearing (audiology)
- Special Smiles (dentistry)
- Health Promotion (prevention and nutrition)
- FUNfitness (physical therapy)
- Fit Feet (podiatry)
The impact of these screenings on the health and wellness of Special Olympics athletes around the world is significant. Healthy Athletes has discovered undetected health problems, alleviated pain and provided health services that otherwise would not be available.
Healthy Athletes is not only a program for athletes but, through training and hands-on experience at screenings, it is a program for healthcare students and professionals to increase knowledge of best practices in caring for and communicating with individuals with IDD.
Location: Maize South High School
Address: 3701 N Tyler Rd, Wichita, KS 67205
Itinerary
Official screenings will run from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM CST on 6/6. No athletes will be accepted prior, but exceptions may be made in certain cases for slightly after 3:00 PM. **Opening Eyes set up shifts are also available from 6 - 8pm on 6/5**
DETAILS FOR Saturday, June 6th:
- We ask that ALL volunteers arrive at 8:30 AM for trainings before the event begins with the exception of Opening Eyes volunteers, who should plan to arrive at 9:15 AM
- Please report to the Healthy Athletes Volunteer Check-in table outside the Southeast entrance upon arriving to Maize South High School. Screenings will be performed IN the high school building.
- Breakfast to be provided for all volunteers.
- Individual box lunches to be provided at approximately 12:30 PM for all volunteers. Please indicate food allergies when registering. You will be directed by your Clinical Director to break for lunch in shifts and during slow periods.
- Breakdown and clean-up to begin at 3:00 PM. You may leave once your area of necessary items are safely and securely packed away how you found them. Please also keep in mind, much of our equipment is costly and we have worked hard as a nonprofit to obtain such, so treat and pack equipment kindly.
*Please still register even if you are not able to stay the entirety of your shift. Simply reach out to Rhae and/or your respective Clinical Director(s)*
We are gearing up for the biggest event of the year, set to host over 1,200 athletes from across the state, and we are looking to serve as many of them as possible across the various Healthy Athlete disciplines.
We are calling on volunteers like you to join us in this day of giving that promises to be unforgettable. It's the only day of the year when all 7 of these Healthy Athlete disciplines unite to screen athletes at our grandest event. Together, we have the opportunity to ensure that these athletes have a great experience while making an immediate impact on their overall health.
Feel free to email the Health Programs Coordinator, Rhae Burt, at burtr@soks.org with any questions or concerns.
Shifts (15)
| Shift | Start Time | End Time | Address | Description | Registrants Needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fit Feet Clinical Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 North Tyler Road Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | ***Must be a licensed provider: Physician, Orthopedist (MD or DO), or Physical Therapist (Licensed PT, PTAs) INCLUDING Students *** https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 1/15 | Over |
| Fit Feet General Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 North Tyler Road Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | Responsible for handling sensitive health paperwork, aid athletes in filling out forms (when needed), ensuring all required fields are entered on paperwork, ensuring athletes correct HAS ID is clearly shown on paperwork, and other related responsibilities. Will report to discipline-specific Clinical Director. https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 5/5 | Over |
| FUNfitness Clinical Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd Wichita, KS 67205 | These hands-on screening events assess athletes' flexibility, strength, balance, and aerobic fitness, and provide personalized exercises to help prevent injuries and improve sports performance. **Student and licensed PT/PTA and Health Professionals*** | 1/12 | Over |
| FUNfitness General Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd. Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | Responsible for handling sensitive health paperwork, aid athletes in filling out forms (when needed), ensuring all required fields are entered on paperwork, ensuring athletes correct HAS ID is clearly shown on paperwork, and other related responsibilities. Will report to discipline-specific Clinical Director. https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 4/5 | Over |
| General Healthy Athletes Runners/Aids | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd Wichita, KS 67205 Maize South High School | Responsible for working closely alongside SOKS staff to ensure the overall event is running smoothly. Will be there to run errands, man volunteer positions (where applicable), and assist with the general flow. https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 0/2 | Over |
| General Healthy Athletes Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd. Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | Responsible for checking in Volunteers through GivePulse and for distributing discipline-specific information to them. Must be proficient in using general electronic volunteer systems. We occasionally assist with athletes check-in, as needed. Will report to SOKS Health and Fitness staff. https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 4/10 | Over |
| Health Promotion Clinical Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd. Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | ***Must be a practicing nurse with up-to-date licensure (Health Professional students allowed)*** https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 7/15 | Over |
| Health Promotion General Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd Wichita, KS 67205 Maize South High School | Responsible for handling sensitive health paperwork, aid athletes in filling out forms (when needed), ensuring all required fields are entered on paperwork, ensuring athletes correct HAS ID is clearly shown on paperwork, and other related responsibilities. Will report to discipline-specific Clinical Director. https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 5/12 | Over |
| Healthy Hearing Clinical Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd. Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | ***Must be a practicing audiologist with current licensure or other related medical profession (Health Professional students allowed)*** https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 10/10 | Over |
| Healthy Hearing General Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd. Wichita, Kansas 67205 | Responsible for handling sensitive health paperwork, aid athletes in filling out forms (when needed), ensuring all required fields are entered on paperwork, ensuring athletes correct HAS ID is clearly shown on paperwork, and other related responsibilities. Will report to discipline-specific Clinical Director. https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 6/6 | Over |
| PM Opening Eyes Clinical Volunteer | 1:00pm (CT) | 4:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd. Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | ***Must be licensed Optician, Optometrist or Ophthalmologist (Health Professional students allowed)*** https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 17/40 | Over |
| PM Opening Eyes General Volunteer | 1:00pm (CT) | 4:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd. Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | Responsible for handling sensitive health paperwork, aid athletes in filling out forms (when needed), ensuring all required fields are entered on paperwork, ensuring athletes correct HAS ID is clearly shown on paperwork, and other related responsibilities. Will report to discipline-specific Clinical Director. https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 28/30 | Over |
| Special Smiles Clinical Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 3701 N Tyler Rd. Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | ***Must have current licensure as a Dentist, Dental Hygienist, or other qualified dental expert (Health Professional students allowed)*** https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 7/12 | Over |
| Special Smiles General Volunteer | 8:30am (CT) | 3:30pm (CT) | 11600 W 45th St N, Maize, KS 67101 Maize | Responsible for handling sensitive health paperwork, aid athletes in filling out forms (when needed), ensuring all required fields are entered on paperwork, ensuring athletes correct HAS ID is clearly shown on paperwork, and other related responsibilities. Will report to discipline-specific Clinical Director. https://soks.org/health-fitness/healthy-athletes/ | 7/12 | Over |
| Shift | Start Time | End Time | Address | Description | Registrants Needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Eyes Set up crew - FRIDAY NIGHT | 6:00pm (CT) | 8:00pm (CT) | 3701 North Tyler Road Wichita, Kansas 67205 Maize South High School | The set up crew will be responsible for helping to move tables and chairs into their respective locations, helping to prepare the Opening Eyes screening area, unloading medical equipment, and assisting with various other tasks such as decoration prep. The desired volunteer should be able to lift at least 50lbs.... | 13/30 | Over |
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