In December 2021, the Greater Princeton Branch of AYLUS started a new volunteer program with Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ), which is an organization that strives to provide year-round athletic opportunities for children and adults with disabilities.
During the winter, SONJ provides sports such as ice skating for individuals. On December 2nd, 2021, GPA members Vanessa Zhang, Youyi Peng, and their friends volunteered at the Mercer County Skating Center to help the Mercer County Special Olympics group with aiding skaters around the ice during their practice. Because of the small number of participants, they worked with just one skater each team during the whole session.
During the one hour period, the volunteers got their students started with skating, teaching them how to skate by themselves along with how to fall and get up. It was a very fun and unique experience, and the volunteers learned many beneficial skills while volunteering. This is a weekly event until around March.
