SAN ANGELO, TX — One of San Angelo’s favorite traditions, the Little Olympics, will be held this week for the 85th time.
Sponsored by the San Angelo Kiwanis Club, the annual track meet for children had its first competition way back in 1942 when there were only six schools that participated.
The Little Olympics now includes 14 local elementary schools (Belaire, Bonham, Bowie, Bradford, Crockett, Fannin, Fort Concho, Glenmore, Goliad, Holiman, Lamar, McGill, Reagan and Santa Rita), three local junior highs (Lone Star, Glenn and Lincoln) and schools outside the city limits like Wall, Grape Creek, Christoval, Veribest and Miles.
The meet begins at 5 p.m. Thursday at San Angelo Stadium with sixth graders competing in races such as the 100, 200, 300, 800 and 4x100 relay, along with the shot put and long jump.
Friday is the biggest day for the Little Olympics with the third-fifth graders competing. There will be a parade around the track at 3:30 p.m. and the meet will begin about 4 p.m.
The races will include the 75- and 90-meter dashes, a 4x100 relay, and field events like the broad jump, bar chin (for boys) and flex arm hang (for girls).
The Little Olympics actually begins at each school, where students try to qualify for the big meet at San Angelo Stadium.
Once there, they’ll attempt to advance to the finals later in the day and bring home a medal.
Admission is free for spectators, and there are expected to be about 3,000 people in attendance Friday, said Ruth Wilde with the San Angelo Kiwanis Club.
There will be a food truck outside the stadium Friday from Nacho’s Restaurant with a wide variety of items. Apple Pay and debit or credit cards will be accepted, but cash is preferred.
There will also be a Kona Ice snow cone truck, Semper Fresh Kettle Corn, and a Kiwanis concession stand offering water and candy.
2023 Little Olympics
The Little Olympics is the signature project for the San Angelo Kiwanis Club, which has sponsored the event since it began.
The Kiwanis hold two big fundraisers each year — a geranium plant sale and a Valentine’s Day bake sale — to help fund all of their projects and organizations they support.
Last year, they donated $12,000 to the Keepers of Hope, Rainbow Room, San Angelo Food Bank, and the San Angelo Family Network.
The Kiwanis have also raised money through the San Angelo Area Foundation, but they’ve turned to corporate sponsorships this year to help continue the tradition of the Little Olympics.
If you or your business is interested in donating to the San Angelo Kiwanis, you can visit their site here or email [email protected].
Congressman August Pfluger spoke about the importance of the Little Olympics in San Angelo and its surrounding towns.
“I’m immensely proud to support the Little Olympics and all the young athletes taking part in this cherished tradition,” Pfluger said in a video statement on SanAngeloKiwanis.com. “For generations, the San Angelo Kiwanis Club and Little Olympics has given young students the opportunity to prepare for and compete in track and field events that might otherwise be unavailable to them. It encourages physical activity, confidence and a spirit of friendly competition.
“But as you all know, this event does more than just measure distances or speeds. It inspires our children to set goals, challenge themselve and to support one another as teammates and nieghbors. It is a powerful example of what community service looks like in action, demonstrating how volunteers and organizations like Kiwanis help shape the character and future of our young people.
“And as i remember back to my own participation in Little Olympics, which by the way wasn’t great — I was a little bit sad about that — I’m going to think fondly on this year’s competition and be rooting you on. Good luck, have a great time out there, and God bless.”
Here's a list of all the organizations that the Kiwanis have supported since 2007, totaling more than $236,000:
House of Faith, $25,000
Children's Miracle Network, $19,200
San Angelo Day Nursery/Early Childhood, $16,474
Boys & Girls Club of San Angelo, $15,400
DESK Project, $14,400
Healthy Families of San Angelo, $13,000
Boy Scouts of America, $9,655
El Camino Council - Girl Scouts, $9,087
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, $9,000
Children's Advocacy Center, $8,150
Grape Creek Intermediate Science, $5,500
Rainbow Room, $5,500
YMCA, $4,000
Keepers of Hope, $3,000
San Angelo Food Bank, $3,000
San Angelo Family Network, $3,000
Hope House, $3,000
Concho Valley Home for Girls, $3,000
Promises for Families, $2,500
New Bridge Family Shelter, $2,417
Children's Emergency Shelter, $2,300
Sonrisas Therapeutic Riding, $2,100
CASA, $2,000
Angelo Civic Theatre, $1,750
West Texas Boys Ranch, $1,650
San Angelo Civic Ballet, $1,500
Be Theatre, $1,500
Pregnancy Help Center, $1,150
Children's Bed Project, $1,050
Giant Steps for Children, $1,000
Concho Valley Rape Crisis Center, $1,000
Samaritan Pastoral Counseling Center, $1,000
Crisis Intervention Unit, $1,000
Concho Valley AMBUCS, $1,000
Young Life, $800
Hospice of San Angelo, $500
JPW Learning Center, $500
ABC Center for Children, $400
People Plant Connection, $309
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