EWING, N.J. – The Rutgers football team continued to serve the community on Friday evening, with a number of student-athletes participating in the Special Olympics of New Jersey as part of the program's #Chop4Change initiative. 

More than 30 Scarlet Knights made the trip to the campus at TCNJ to join in the opening ceremonies and show their support for the countless athletes participating in the Special Olympics. 

Mayan Ahanotu joined Rutgers football in 2020 and immediately become involved in the program's community service efforts. While Friday was his first time at the Special Olympics, it was another opportunity for him to make an impact in his community.
 
"It's really awesome. I love our #Chop4Change program," Ahanotu said. "It's really about how we can impact our community right now. We're just going to do all we can do for all the people in all our communities that we can affect right now."

Noah Vedral is no stranger to community service and has heard stories about the Special Olympics from his father, a football coach. Like Ahanotu, this was also his first time at the Special Olympics of New Jersey and he noted how inspired he was by the athletes.

Vedral also cherished the opportunity to serve among a community of athletes where he and his teammates had plenty in common with those among them.

"It's not easy. And they do it every day," Vedral said of the athletes. "Day-in and day-out, they train just like we do. Life is hard for everybody. It give you a little bit of juice. If they can do it, everyone can."

For Adam Korsak, it was his return to the Special Olympics after a three-year hiatus. Korsak kept in touch with a number of athletes from his trip in 2019 and was able to reconnect with some of his old friends.

"A lot of these athletes are fans of Rutgers. It's huge for us to try to give back a little bit and we learn a lot from each other." Korsak said. "There are two or three people that I still speak to from three years ago. Coming back three years later, it's awesome to recognize them."

The Special Olympics of New Jersey (SONJ) provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Rutgers football looks forward to honoring the Special Olympics athletes at the home game versus Iowa on Sept. 24, with more information coming soon.
 
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