This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Sports

Norwalker Sails in Special Olympics World Games in Greece

Kera Connolly of Norwalk competes on a team with Fes Smurlo of Greenwich in sailing in the country that gave birth to the Olympics.

Kera Connolly of Norwalk is combining her love of sailing with her longtime commitment to the Special Olympics to compete in Greece at the 13th Special Olympics World Summer Games, June 25 to July 4.

Connolly will compete alongside Greenwich native Fes Smurlo, who has Down Syndrome, in a “unified team,” or pairing of athlete and partner. The pair qualified for the World Games by winning gold at the state level in 2009 in a fall regatta at the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club.

This is not Connolly’s first time to the World Games, (In 1999, she competed in sailing at the World Games in North Carolina).

Find out what's happening in Norwalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“This time is extra special," she said, "since Athens, as we all know, is the birthplace of the Olympics.”

Making their way first to Baltimore to rendezvous with four other athletes and partners from Connecticut as well as the 400-plus athletes and coaches of Team USA, Connolly and Smurlo will then fly to Ireland before proceeding to the Isle of Rhodes to practice sailing. Then, traveling by overnight ferry to Athens, they’ll make their way to the seaside town of Marathon for the sailing competition.

Find out what's happening in Norwalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Through his dad Frank Smurlo, Fes said he enjoys sailing with Kera as his skipper and thinks the pair makes a great team.

Both soft-spoken and understated, Connolly insisted she receives more than she gives to Special Olympics. While many volunteers follow an intellectually challenged sibling or child into the world of Special Olympics, Connolly said that she simply heard about a volunteer opportunity through a friend and offered to help. That was 18 years ago.

It is no wonder Connolly received the Unsung Hero Award in 2006, though, as one might guess, she doesn’t mention the award unless asked about it.

In addition to working a full-time job, Connolly donates her time as coordinator for Darien Lions Club, a sponsor of Special Olympics of Connecticut (SOCT), taking care of recruiting and registration. She is also an active member of the Shriver Society, an organization created to recognize outstanding SOCT volunteers.

Connolly and her husband, Steve Longo, a volunteer sailing, snowshoeing and skiing coach for SOCT, met through a shared love of sailing. Longo is traveling to Greece too, though he is making the trip as a tourist.

“It’s so rewarding," Connolly said about volunteering with Special Olympics. "I’m not on the sidelines. I get to sail and teach people to sail. I love being a part of it.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?