Over the weekend of Nov. 3 to Nov. 5, Villanova’s Special Olympics held its annual Fall Festival, the largest student-run Special Olympics event in the world. Among the thousands of volunteers are committee members, volunteer coordinators and inclusion crew members (ICs).
Volunteers are typically assigned a location or activity to be a part of, such as a specific sport or awards. There are also medical volunteers, also known as MedVols. MedVols are a part of the medical-security team, called Medicurity.
Medicurity also has an inclusion crew within it, consisting of more than 50 Villanova student volunteers. The Medicurity IC is backed by four volunteer coordinators and five committee members. There are also MedVols separate from IC, consisting of doctors and athletic trainers.
There were always multiple MedVols, including at least one doctor or athletic trainer, stationed at every event, sport and dining hall throughout the weekend.
Committee member Matt Domanico explained how important the volunteers and IC members are to the Medicurity team, as helping hands are always necessary to help things run more smoothly.
“A lot of planning does go into the Fall Festival weekend, but we really appreciate all of the volunteers, including the MedVols, [for making] the weekend a very special and meaningful interaction for all of our athletes,” Domanico said.
MedVols did anything from cheering an athlete on during their soccer game, handing out ice packs after a fall, or even providing critical care, as necessary. While it is always hoped that medical care is not necessary, it was important that volunteers were trained and ready to handle it all.
Junior Khoa Nguyen, a Medicurity volunteer coordinator, explained that, while a lot of work is put into making the weekend perfect, it is always worth it when volunteers get to interact with athletes.
“Volunteers get up super early for Fall Festival, but it is super worth it to see all of the athletes and cheer them all on,” Nguyen said.
While MedVols had shifts at designated locations, they were also able to explore and experience Fall Festival during break periods. From walking through Olympic Town (“O-Town”), to cheering for long distance runners and walkers as they pass by, to attending opening and closing ceremonies, there was no shortage of activities for volunteers.
Freshman Isabella Mirarchi attended her first Fall Festival this year. As a new volunteer, Mirarchi was not well-versed in what the weekend would consist of, but as a pre-medical student, she knew she wanted to be a MedVol. After being stationed at seven-versus-seven soccer on Pike Field, Mirarchi had the opportunity to stroll through O-Town, watch and cheer during powerlifting and see the flash mob from the Local Program Hosts.
“Volunteering at Special Olympics my freshman year gave me the wonderful opportunity to watch athletes perform at their best and feel the excitement of the crowds as we cheered them on,” Mirarchi explained. “[I] could see the spirit of friendship radiating from the athletes’ faces, not only as they showcased their incredible abilities, but as they encouraged their teammates and competitors, as well. Celebrating our differences, accomplishments and talents to create a more inclusive world is the mission of Fall Fest, and I am so blessed to have been part of it.”
Being a MedVol is a unique aspect of Fall Festival that not many people were a part of. MedVols were able to experience it all and made a difference in the health of each person they helped. While this year’s Fall Festival has sadly come to a close, the effort and love put into it will have lasting effects on athletes and volunteers alike.
