Special Olympics Michigan says remodeled training facility going to be ‘game changer’

Special Olympics Michigan says remodeled training facility going to be ‘game changer’

SOMI is raising money to remodel the old South Christian High School into a world-class training facility.

OLYMPICS MICHIGAN IS GETTING ANEW HOME .

AND THEY'REREMODELING IT TO MAKE IT THELARGEST CENTEROF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.TODAY WE GOT A SNEAK PEAK OFTHE NEW CENTER.

OUR LAURENEDWARDS EXPLAINS HOW YOU CANHELPMAKE THIS DREAM INTO A REALITY.THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THEIRNEWHOME .

RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKEYOUR TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL .

BUTINABOUT THEIR NEW HOME .

RIGHT NOWIT LOOKS LIKE YOUR TYPICAL HIGHSCHOOL .

BUT IN DUE TIME IT'LLBE WORLD CLASS TRAINING FACILITYFOR WORLD CLASS ATHLETES KRISTAPAULINC, AMPAIGN DIRECTOR WITHSPECIAL OLYMPICS MICHIGANWe had a lot of athletes,coaches and families coment iothis building and when they sawit for the first time, thoseparents andcoaches were in tears8sBECAUSE THEY UCOLD'T BELIEVETHAT SOUTH HRCISTIAN HIGH SCOOLWAS GOING TO BELONG TO SPECIALOLYMPICS MICHIGAN, SAYS DIRECTORKRISTA PAULINWear e creating the world'slargest SpecialOlympic sports and trainingcenter rightre in Grand Raidps, MichiganUN SAYS THERY'E EXCITEDABOUT IT .

THE 127,000 SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING AND 17 ACRES WILLUNDERGO A 22- MILLION DOLLARMAKEOVERthe outdoor field space is goingto be aworld class athletic complexwith an 8-lanetrack, 3 flag football fieldsand entier boccitournament area, and event plazaand fivesoccer fields10s AND THE INDOOR SPACE WILLBEHOME TO THEIR 10 NON-PROFITTENNAT PARTNERS WHO WILL BELEASING SPACE .

AND PROVIDINGSERVICESIf you're a familyr o communitymembercoming in, you can go right tothe AthleteWelcome Center and ask wherean cI getsupport for employment?

HWerecan I get some mental healthservices?10s AND LIFE-SKILLS TRAININ G.OREVEN SCREENINGS AT THEIR HEALTHCLINIC .

SHE SAYES VERYONE WILLBEABLE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THEBUILDING EASILYSo, this whole building will beuniversally accessible.

So, tahtjust means even littlethings like widening all thedoorways, makingsure all the bathrooms areuniversallyassessbale.

Our theater, ourhope is tohave a ramp that goes up to thestage12s AND THE BEST SPOT SHE SAYSWILL BE THE BASKETBALL COURT SWe are the only place in thewhole world thathas just that Special Olympicslogo right inthe center of a court.

That'sreally importantbecaue swe are always rentingotherpeople's spaces; our athletesare always insomeone else's gym.SOON THEY'LL KICK OFF THEIRCAPITALCAMPAIGN TO RAISE MONEY FOR THEFACILITY, PAULIN SAYS .

ANDTHEYHOE PMANY PEOPLE WILL DONATE TOITTO GIVE THEIR ATHLETES A PLACETO CALL THEIR OWNThis is their ohme.

This is whenthey'regoing to come first.2sIF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKAEDONATION,YOU CAN HEAD TO FOX17ONLINE.COMA LINK WILL BE POSTED IN GRANDRAPIDS,L AUREN EDWARDS,FOX 17 NEWSwx open grapids