Metro

Athletes Jonathan

Reinheimer, 15, of

West Bloomfield and

Demearre Hill, 11, of
Southfield head for a
"photo finish."

Good Sports

Fame Games give athletes with special needs the chance to shine.

Elizabeth Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News

the way were the volunteers comprising
athletes' family, seniors, community
members and teens. Nardon recruited
her own family as well as students in the
Wayne State University School of Social
Work in Detroit, members of BBYO and
students at the Frankel Jewish Academy in
West Bloomfield.

R

ichard Gilmore had a hand
in just about every aspect of
the Fame Games. He was a
participant, and he's a longtime volunteer
who especially likes watching the relay
races.
He loves the Fame Games, he says,
because "it makes my heart feel good
— like I'm with my family"
Gilmore was one of some 100 athletes
and one of 100 volunteers at the West
Bloomfield Community Fame Games,
held on Jan. 20 at the Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan Detroit. Now in its
21st year, the Fame Games highlight the
skills and competitive spirit of children
and adults with special needs.
Stacy Duczkowski, 35, of Farmington
Hills is a participant who says the games
are all about "having fun and being with
different athletes."
Robert Gabel, 32, of Southfield comes
because "I like to compete'
Baby Boomers who insist they're way
past the age of being able to get in shape
take note: Fame Games athlete Jacob
Feldman of West Bloomfield is a star at age
69.
It takes a top-notch coach to get a 200-
person team like this together.

A16

January 24 • 2008

Above: Volunteer Forest Levy of Birmingham
with Jessica Brintley, 19, of Southfield.

Left: Carol Collins of Bloomfield Hills
shoots a basket.

Meet Laura Nardon.
She's young, gracious, a little on the quiet
side — except when it comes to Fame
Games.
"It was such a great, great experience'
says Nardon, games director. The best part:
"watching the athletes who were so happy
and so proud. They would be walking
down the hallway, showing off their
ribbons. They all left with such a good
feeling:'
The day began with opening ceremonies
featuring former Detroit Pistons great,
now Detroit Shock assistant coach, Rick

Mahorn; JCC President Todd Sachse; and a
volunteer-of-the-year award presentation
to Sarah Deitch of Northwest Child Rescue,
which, along with the Michigan Jewish
Sports Foundation and the JCC, sponsored
the event.
At 10:30 a.m., it was time to let the
games begin. There were basketball,
bowling, obstacle courses, a football throw,
walking and wheelchair races, inline
hockey — and almost all the athletes
participated in at least half of the events,
Nardon says.
Cheering them along every step of

Awards For All
One unique aspect of the games is that
everyone wins. Though the games do
involve competition, it works like this,
Nardon explains: Make three of three in
the basketball toss and get a blue ribbon,
make two and get a red ribbon, make one
(or even none) and get a white ribbon.
Prizes were awarded at a snazzy pizza
lunch, where children received goodie bags
filled with fun treats like candy and toys.
The games also included a pool party
and an evening dance for adults. As a
recording of the British band Queen's
triumphant "We Are the Champions"
played, volunteers placed medals on
athletes. The evening ended with a lot
of dancing, with a little something for
everyone, from the "hokey pokey" to
favorite Beatles' numbers. ❑

Elizabeth Applebaum is a marketing specialist
with the Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit.