Special Olympics Hawaii has opened its new headquarters in West Oahu and can host competitions and practices for its 3,400 athletes.
The new Special Olympics Hawaii Sports and Wellness Center - located adjacent to the Kroc Center at 91-610 Maunakapu Street in Ewa Beach - is specifically dedicated and designed for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The site includes fields for athletes to practice and compete in soccer, flag football, bocce, and track and field.
The program's administration also has moved into a new 3,000-square-foot building which includes office space and multi-purpose classroom space for meetings and volunteer training.
Special Olympics Hawaii provides year-round sports programs and training for athletes with intellectual disabilities. During the pandemic, Special Olympics Hawaii continued with virtual events and some in-person events. It hopes to continue growing its new campus.
Dan Epstein, president and CEO of Special Olympics Hawai, said it hopes to build a multi-use warehouse and an outdoor basketball court. It looks to raise another $1.5 million for the capital campaign.
"That would add another array of possibilities and opportunities for us to be able to offer to our athletes directly here, right on-site," Epstein said.
Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 3295, Honolulu, HI 96801, or by calling Epstein at 808-386-5232. More information can be found at sohawaii.org.
An official, public grand opening event for the center will be held this fall.
