CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — More than 300 Special Olympics athletes will gather this week at the Levine Jewish Community Center for the 25th annual Camp SOAR.
The weeklong summer camp for special needs children and adults, which stands for Special Olympics Athletic Retreat, is taking place for the first time without its founder, Bob Bowler, who died unexpectedly last fall.
Bowler launched Camp SOAR in 2000 to provide Charlotte-area Special Olympics athletes with a summer experience centered on recreation, friendship, and community. Aside from a pandemic-related cancellation in 2020, the camp has been held nearly every year since its founding.
Organizers say Bowler remained deeply involved in the camp’s success throughout its history and played a major role in promoting Special Olympics…