HELENA — Special Olympics Montana is an athlete-centered, family-based, volunteer-driven and sponsor-supported movement with 3,000 athletes from 65 Montana communities registered in 121 programs.
It’s an iconic event that is crucial to every Special Olympics Athlete in the state, and it’s not easy to put on every year.
SOMT is a special event that relies heavily on fundraising and support from communities from across the Treasure State.
The Summer Games offer an opportunity for those of all abilities to go for gold against others from across Montana.
For all of it to come together, it takes dedicated people like Domingo Leveque-Zapata to volunteer year-round.
“Just being able to witness it and the joy on their faces when they do win or just a joy in the face when they've accomplished a small goal — whether that being able to dribble down the court, set a solid screen, get a rebound, or finally make their first shot — you can’t get that kind of excitement anywhere else,” said Leveque-Zapata.
Leveque-Zapata is a sergeant with the Helena Police Department and also serves as the director of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for SOMT, a powerful public awareness tool to raise money for Special Olympics programs worldwide.
“The Montana chapter, we have several officers that put on events such as Tip-A-Cop. Our most popular event is for Polar Plunges, and then various other events throughout the year, raising funds and awareness for the Special Olympics movement,” said Leveque-Zapata.
The Sweetheart Passion Plunge is one of the biggest drivers in funds for the Special Olympics Montana Games, raising more than $33,000 for the event.
It’s an event Leveque-Zapata always looks forward to. In fact, it’s an event most of his family can't wait for, getting their phones ready to record him plunging into the icy water below.
“Every single one of my family members comes out for pizza when we Tip-A-Cop, they love to come and watch me do the plunge," Leveque-Zapata said. "I have a trademark scream that I do every year, and my sister Sally knows when it's coming and she loves to put that on Facebook. But that's what it is, it's family."
The Special Olympics have played a big role in Leveque-Zapata's life. From the peer networks while he was in school to volunteering and coaching, he says family connected him with the Games.
“I’ve been a part of it since before I was born because my sister Consuela was an athlete. So my earliest photos there are of me is me being on my mom's hip while she’s competing at track and field over at Vigilante Stadium. So it's just been in our family for the longest time,” said Leveque-Zapata.
And over the years, SOMT has become a family for Leveque-Zapata.
“I get so much love and appreciation from the athletes, and I can never pay it back as much as they give it to me. But I try every day,” he said.
Leveque-Zapata wants to remind people there are lots of ways to support the Special Olympics and the athletes. From monetary donations and volunteering to just attending the Games and cheering on the athletes.
"Even though it's a volunteer position,” he said, “you're going to get paid in spades just through that sheer enjoyment and love that you're going to see from the athletes."
