30
November
2015
|
16:22 PM
America/Chicago

UHD Employees Support Special Olympics Texas

On Nov. 14, two UHD employees, Carol Manousos, director of Emergency Management and Meritza Tamez, Ph.D., director of Disability Services, rappelled down the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Houston at the "Over the Edge" fundraising venture — an event offered by Special Olympics Texas, a nonprofit organization that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

"As a parent with a special needs child words cannot express how important it is to give every child regardless of their perceived limitations, the opportunity to participate in sporting events," said Lt. Fredrick Varela of the UHD Police Department. "This could never occur without people with marvelous huge hearts like Carol and Meritza. They are what we should be showing our children what heroes look like."

Manousos and Tamez rappelled more than 200 feet down the high-rise building and raised more than $1,200 each.

"The real heroes are the people that donate money to Special Olympics, support the organization every day, and the athletes and their families," said Manousos. My donors believe the athletes should have opportunities to show their capabilities and were willing to demonstrate it by sending me "Over the Edge!"