PHOENIX — Special Olympics Arizona is one of the five local charities that benefit from ABC15's annual Operation Santa Claus.
Since 1975, the organization has provided a safe and supportive space for people of all abilities and ages to learn and compete in a wide variety of sports.
One of them is golf.
We tagged along for practice at Dobson Ranch Golf Course in Mesa and asked Special Olympics Arizona athlete Will Horton what he's hoping for.
"Well, I've been hoping for having fun and playing my best," answered Horton.
For the past five years, Horton has only had great days on the greens.
We asked Horton what he felt when he hit a hole-in-one.
"That made me feel, like I feel like pretty good with it," said Horton.
It's a sentiment Kristen Amberson, another athlete, agrees with, especially since she's paired up with her favorite golf partner.
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Nick Ciletti sat in the historic First Institutional Baptist Church and listened to one of Pastor Warren Stewart's sermons ahead of his late-June retirement:
"Sitting down with Pastor Dr. Warren Stewart is such a motivating experience for me.
He is able to bring scripture to life, connect the dots, and craft a strong, positive message in the process. And his impact goes beyond the church; his work as a civil rights leader has created concrete change across Arizona and has opened a lot of eyes in the process. It's no wonder he stuck around for nearly half a century!"
"My mom is the best partner in the world," said Amberson.
The dynamic duo even won gold at a Special Olympics tournament.
"It took us 10 years," said Amberson's mom, Barbara, when asked what it felt like to win the gold.
"It was exciting and my anxiety was going," laughed Amberson.
Amberson and Horton are two of the more than 21,000 athletes who are part of Special Olympics Arizona. It's an organization where every single person is accepted and welcomed regardless of their ability or disability.
Pete Celmer, a coach with Special Olympics Arizona, tells us he sees the organization's value firsthand as they allow every participant to explore their capabilities while being surrounded by encouragement.
"You teach them and you go along and then you grow with them and you learn as much as they do, and then when the time comes and they're up they're, number one on the podium. It's an excellent feeling," said Celmer.
For more information on Special Olympics Arizona and the other charities that benefit from Operation Santa Claus, click here.
