Port Huron, MI — The Water Warriors are gearing up for their 30th annual personal watercraft endurance ride along Michigan’s Thumb Coast to benefit Special Olympics of Michigan.
This year’s ride is scaled down from their usual Port Huron to Mackinaw ride, which is typically a 5-day, 450-mile endurance ride on personal watercraft. They have adapted the ride this year due to challenges presented by the pandemic, and they are taking a 2-day ride from Port Huron to Port Austin and back.
The Water Warriors ride will take place on July 28 – 29th, and 75 people plan to participate with over 30 personal watercraft riders, support boats, and a fleet of land support vehicles.
Donna, a past participant, said, “Riding the waves is a physical challenge, certainly, but nothing in comparison to the every day survival of a Special Olympic athlete. To come into port and see that appreciation for our efforts, to give a ride to an athlete on my machine, and to watch the smiling faces and listening to the cheers of the athletes on the support boats makes every muscle ache I experience, every drop of water that I swallow, and all the time I spend raising funds worth it.”
The 2021 Summer Games for Special Olympics concluded on July 17, 2021, but Special Olympics Michigan provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand
