| Published July 18th, 2012 | Rogers Puts More "Special" in Special Olympics Swim Season | Submitted by Brian Wentzel | ![](../issue0610/images/0610-03401.jpg) | Sea Serpent Director, Brian Wentzel, and Sarah Rogers at June 16 event
Photos provided
| For the last three years, Acalanes incoming senior Sarah Rogers has been volunteering with the East Bay Sea Serpents - a swim team affiliated with Special Olympics of Northern California that serves special needs athletes from Lamorinda and the surrounding East Bay communities.
Earlier this year, when Rogers was in need of a Gold Project for the culmination of her Girl Scout career, she proposed organizing, planning, and hosting a year-end banquet and carnival for the Sea Serpent athletes and their families.
Rogers acquired necessary approvals and insurance to host the June 16 event at Rancho Colorados. Naturally, the event offered swimming and water polo opportunities. The water polo was assisted by several 14-and-under volunteers from the Lamorinda Water Polo Club. Other highlights included face painting, balloon animals, a barbecue, and participation awards for both athletes and volunteers of the program.
Regarding the recent event, Sea Serpent Program Founder Joleen Silverfoote said, "Sarah has been an extremely dedicated and engaged volunteer with our program. For her to step up and offer to organize this event this year was above and beyond what we could have expected. She did a phenomenal job of planning and executing the banquet. It really provided a fun and comfortable environment for the athletes and their families to enjoy the day and celebrate the end of our spring season. I know the athletes and families really appreciate everything that Sarah has given back to this program."
The East Bay Sea Serpent program was founded in 2001. The program is all-volunteer run, is offered at no cost to special needs athletes, and offers spring and fall swimming programs. For more information, visit www.eastbayseaserpents.org.
| ![](../issue0610/images/0610-03402.jpg) | Front entrance of Sea Serpents event
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