RAF Mildenhall successfully hosts 27th Annual Joan Mann Special Sports Day

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Eric Petosky
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Volunteers from across Team Mildenhall took part in the Joan Mann Special Sports Day Sept. 13, marking the 27th anniversary of the annual invitational sports event for special-needs people across England. 

Almost 200 athletes showed up for this year's festivities, according to Master Sgt. Jeff Blackwell, JMSSD coordinator, some leaving home as early as 5 a.m. to make it to the base for an 8 a.m. start. 

The day began with an Olympic-style torch relay and a parade of athletes. Then athletes competed in various events, including a football pass and punt, bowling, Frisbee toss, obstacle course, basketball toss and 100-meter dash. 

Volunteers cooked a lunch of hamburgers and hotdogs, while others escorted the athletes to and from events. At the end of the day, the winning athletes were given medals. 

"I enjoyed it very much," said Greg Phillips, an athlete from Hertfordshire. "I finished pretty much all of the events, but my favorite event was the 100-meter dash." 

Val Wingrave has been attending JMSSD for 11 years in a row. She is part of Free Spirits handicapped sports club in Essex which travels the country attending various competitions throughout the summer, mostly in track and field. 

"From opening to closing, it's been a brilliant day," she said. "Joan Mann Special Sports Day always finishes the year for us. It's definitely not as competitive, so it lets people just have fun. I love to see the disabled be able-bodied and have a great time." 

Twenty-seven years ago, Joan Mann was a Ministry of Defence employee working in the public affairs office. She conceived the special sports day as a way to not only offer special-needs people of all ages a day of fun, but also to draw the civilian and military communities closer together. At the time the Top Three Fellowship was in its infancy. They willingly funded the event, and they have managed it every year since. 

"Top Three sponsored it, but there wasn't an organization on base that didn't donate time or money to lend a hand," Sergeant Blackwell said. "It's a ridiculously tough job putting it all together - at least two or three months worth of work for an entire team. But, it worked out well, and ultimately it was very rewarding."