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Jun. 18—BEMIDJI — When Katie Fellows got up in front of her supporters at Lucky Dogs on Thursday, she had to be completely transparent.
"I'm really nervous," she said into the microphone, "(but) thanks for being here."
Friends, family and others were there to support Fellows and her Unified partner and sister, Lisa Kiewatt, as they prepare to compete in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in the Twin Cities. They will both compete in bowling against competition from all across the country in Blaine.
Before Fellows handed the microphone to her sister, she was quickly asked how she's going to do at the games.
"I'm going to rock it," she replied.
After the sisters thanked their supporters, Bemidji mayor Jorge Prince shared a few words of encouragement on behalf of the community. The group made their way over to Paul Bunyan Park before waving goodbye to Fellows and Kiewatt as they started their journey down to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where the Athletes Village is located.
The national games, held every four years since 2006, feature athletes from all 50 states competing in 19 different sports. Athletes need to win the gold medal at a qualifying event in their sport before being randomly drawn to represent their state at the national games.
To be able to represent Bemidji is an incredible accomplishment for the sisters, they said.
"We've been in Special Olympics together for over 30 years, so it's a big deal for us to do," Kiewatt said. "To represent Bemidji, especially. It's over 400 athletes that were picked to go for this, so for us two to be picked out of the whole state like this is a pretty big deal."
Kiewatt, Fellows and three other unified pairs
were selected for Team Minnesota
one year ago. Since then, they've been practicing across the state in preparation for the national games.
"We've gone to Albany, we've gone to St. Cloud, Brainerd, Blaine," Kiewatt said. "We usually bowl three to four games to get ready for it with the team. So Katie and I are Unified partners, but there's also different athletes there that are just bowling singles. Usually it consists of a couple hours and just practicing as much as we can."
Fellows has been having a lot of fun competing and meeting new people. But her favorite part of unified bowling?
"That I get to bowl with my sister," she said. "It makes me feel good."
Having athletes from Bemidji in the national games is no small feat. The pair of Parker Bruns and Shawn Kiefer competed in swimming
at the national games in 2018,
held in Seattle. Kiefer also competed in the games' inaugural year in 2006 in Ames, Iowa, also in swimming.
Now, Fellows and Kiewatt's names are added to that exclusive list.
"Just to participate in Special Olympics, many communities can do that," said Jodi Sandmeyer of Bemidji Community Special Olympics. "Going to nationals is a huge step up. We can send several people to state, which we do every year, normally. But to actually go to nationals is not very common."
Sandmeyer, a teacher from Nevis, has been a part of the Special Olympics since 1984.
"I was 12 years old when I started," she said. "The mother of one of our athletes, still today, she started the program here. ... She was looking for volunteers, so my mother voluntold me. And so it started there, and this is where I am today now."
In her 42 years with the Special Olympics, she's seen firsthand how the Bemidji community has done its part to support the organization. From the Jaycees Polar Plunge to the Knights of Columbus Walleye Classic, organizations across the community have made sure the Special Olympics is well supported.
"You look at all the different groups that support Special Olympics, and it's huge. Bemidji is super, super supportive," Sandmeyer said. "I can't say enough about the community. It's amazing when they come out and support us in the middle of the day when you're working and everything else is going on, but yet take the time to come and do it."
Kiewatt, Fellows and the rest of Team Minnesota will take part in the opening ceremony at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. It will be broadcast at 7:30 p.m. on June 20 on ESPN+ and Disney+.
"Demi Lovato is opening for it, so that's kind of a big deal," Kiewatt said. "There's going to be a lot of people there, packed crowd, so that'll be fun."
Continue reading...
"I'm really nervous," she said into the microphone, "(but) thanks for being here."
Friends, family and others were there to support Fellows and her Unified partner and sister, Lisa Kiewatt, as they prepare to compete in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in the Twin Cities. They will both compete in bowling against competition from all across the country in Blaine.
Before Fellows handed the microphone to her sister, she was quickly asked how she's going to do at the games.
"I'm going to rock it," she replied.
After the sisters thanked their supporters, Bemidji mayor Jorge Prince shared a few words of encouragement on behalf of the community. The group made their way over to Paul Bunyan Park before waving goodbye to Fellows and Kiewatt as they started their journey down to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where the Athletes Village is located.
The national games, held every four years since 2006, feature athletes from all 50 states competing in 19 different sports. Athletes need to win the gold medal at a qualifying event in their sport before being randomly drawn to represent their state at the national games.
To be able to represent Bemidji is an incredible accomplishment for the sisters, they said.
"We've been in Special Olympics together for over 30 years, so it's a big deal for us to do," Kiewatt said. "To represent Bemidji, especially. It's over 400 athletes that were picked to go for this, so for us two to be picked out of the whole state like this is a pretty big deal."
Kiewatt, Fellows and three other unified pairs
were selected for Team Minnesota
one year ago. Since then, they've been practicing across the state in preparation for the national games.
"We've gone to Albany, we've gone to St. Cloud, Brainerd, Blaine," Kiewatt said. "We usually bowl three to four games to get ready for it with the team. So Katie and I are Unified partners, but there's also different athletes there that are just bowling singles. Usually it consists of a couple hours and just practicing as much as we can."
Fellows has been having a lot of fun competing and meeting new people. But her favorite part of unified bowling?
"That I get to bowl with my sister," she said. "It makes me feel good."
Having athletes from Bemidji in the national games is no small feat. The pair of Parker Bruns and Shawn Kiefer competed in swimming
at the national games in 2018,
held in Seattle. Kiefer also competed in the games' inaugural year in 2006 in Ames, Iowa, also in swimming.
Now, Fellows and Kiewatt's names are added to that exclusive list.
"Just to participate in Special Olympics, many communities can do that," said Jodi Sandmeyer of Bemidji Community Special Olympics. "Going to nationals is a huge step up. We can send several people to state, which we do every year, normally. But to actually go to nationals is not very common."
Sandmeyer, a teacher from Nevis, has been a part of the Special Olympics since 1984.
"I was 12 years old when I started," she said. "The mother of one of our athletes, still today, she started the program here. ... She was looking for volunteers, so my mother voluntold me. And so it started there, and this is where I am today now."
In her 42 years with the Special Olympics, she's seen firsthand how the Bemidji community has done its part to support the organization. From the Jaycees Polar Plunge to the Knights of Columbus Walleye Classic, organizations across the community have made sure the Special Olympics is well supported.
"You look at all the different groups that support Special Olympics, and it's huge. Bemidji is super, super supportive," Sandmeyer said. "I can't say enough about the community. It's amazing when they come out and support us in the middle of the day when you're working and everything else is going on, but yet take the time to come and do it."
Kiewatt, Fellows and the rest of Team Minnesota will take part in the opening ceremony at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. It will be broadcast at 7:30 p.m. on June 20 on ESPN+ and Disney+.
"Demi Lovato is opening for it, so that's kind of a big deal," Kiewatt said. "There's going to be a lot of people there, packed crowd, so that'll be fun."
Continue reading...
