Finishing touches at Arena Manawatu 

Source: Special Olympics NZ

As the Special Olympics National Summer Games approach, lights and sound checks are all go at Arena Manawatu as Event Coordinator Russell Harris and his team set up for Wednesday night's Opening Ceremony.

Chairs are set and the marching route of each athlete, coach and entertainer is mapped out.

"We have been setting up these rooms since last Thursday and now it's all fine tuning," says Harris. "It's just a matter of checking sound and rehearsing everything."

The script is ready for Master of Ceremonies Ian Johnston who has the perfect radio voice to guide the night's event. The technology is ready to show a short dedication from Olympians Kallista Field and Jesse Sergent.

Everything is precise, with every seat in the room planned to be filled. People need to know where to enter and what direction to walk. Harris, with his small army of helpers, will be directing the way.

"I have been on board since about February," says Harris. "I've been busy with heaps of meetings for planning, and I'm very dedicated to the games at the moment."

Special Olympics New Zealand (SONZ) CEO Kathy Gibson asked Harris for his help to organise the opening and closing ceremonies at the beginning of the year. His answer: "Count me in."

"I have run a huge number of events and the Special Olympics is the most memorable, because of its emotional effect. Everyone feels something, you can see it on their faces."

This is the second time Harris has volunteered for coordinating the Special Olympics National Summer Games opening and closing ceremonies. He had the same job back in 1990, the last time the National Summer Games were in Manawatu.

Like many of the volunteers at this week's Summer Games, Harris works full time. During the week, he works for Higgins contracting company and on the weekends he is a radio sports broadcaster. Still, he finds the time to do his part to put extraordinary smiles on the faces of Special Olympics athletes.

"The sportsmanship is great and for them it's all about having a good time and finishing the event. They epitomise everything that's good about sport."