MOUNT STERLING, Ky. (LEX 18) — Ashley and Kenny Barrett’s 16-year-old son Wyatt has autism. He's always been very active in sports. Before the pandemic, the couple explains that Montgomery County had a strong Special Olympics team, Montgomery United. Since then, no one stepped up to restart the group, so this couple decided they would.
Kenny says, "They're so excited about it. You think of the little achievements that we do every day, that's big achievements for them. To see them just have those achievements just blossom throughout the year, it's just amazing."
Ashley will be the team's new delegation head and Kenny will continue to coach. They're asking the community to help them get uniforms to help the athletes get their heads in the game. These parents say it's important for kids with special needs to feel like they have a place on a team.
Ashley says, "We really wanted to give them something, that is something that they can show off. I mean they can learn these sports; they can show off and they can get recognized."
These parents say they see the change when their athletes are all wearing the same uniforms and competing on the same team. This community didn't hesitate when there was an opportunity to help.
The team’s fundraiser, Willie Carver, says, "This is one of my favorite things about being a Kentuckian, is that people take care of each other."
The team is looking to raise about $2,000 for the team of 10 to 15 that they're working to build. Carver says inclusivity is important in any community.
He says, "For me, that's why it was so important to step in, because I know that its gonna have a real impact on how the kids see themselves."
The team is looking at several sports for kids ages 8 and up to participate in. They'll start practice soon at the Dubois Community Center and Sterling Lanes in Mount Sterling. They're encouraging people from this community and surrounding counties to get involved. They say the team experience for these athletes is unmatched.
Kenny says, "It's just the little things, the, 'I did this, I’m a part of this, look at my friends that
I’ve made, look at these people that are around me that love me, that care for me.' and it's just an amazing environment to be in. It's all smiles all day long."
The team isn't focusing on these athletes' disabilities, but their capabilities. Anyone interested in donating can visit the GoFundMe link here and can sign up to volunteer through the team’s Facebook page, “Montgomery United”.
