Volunteering: A Family Affair

By Kristiana Lang

July 5, 2018

Finn Ryan is 10 years old and an avid sports fan from Portland, Ore.  Today, was is his third day volunteering at the USA Games where he, along with his dad, Mike Ryan, have been shagging balls for the soccer matches at Seattle University.

Like Finn and Mike, Carolyn Garnett, Finn’s mom, is a first-time Special Olympics volunteer and is part of the medical team supporting the competitions at Seattle University.  She is an Orthopedic Physician’s Assistant with Kaiser Permanente specializing in their fracture clinic.  Carolyn has also been a medical volunteer internationally and wanted to volunteer closer to home – and to get Finn involved.

“I wanted him to see the athletes working hard,” says Carolyn.

As part of her volunteering, Carolyn also participated in the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Fit Feet screenings where she performed medical exams on athletes’ feet and helped ensure that they received correct shoe sizing.

She added, “I so enjoyed that opportunity to have personal interaction with the athletes.”