How many people can say they have a job that combines their favorite subject with a need to help their fellow human beings?
Jon Buzby is one of those lucky people. He’s been able to merge a lifelong love of sports and an equally fervent desire to help ensure the mentally and physically challenged reach their ultimate potential through athletic competition.
Buzby has been a constant presence and the very public face of Special Olympics Delaware for two decades. Most recently, he emceed the Lewes Polar Bear Plunge at Rehoboth Beach, where more than 2,300 people gathered to rush into — and just as quickly out of — the 42-degree surf.
The event raised more than a half-million dollars for Special Olympics.
Q What’s the best way to describe your job?
A First, I work with the media to put the word out about Special Olympics, I do the writing for our website, and I work with schools to get kids who are eligible for Special Olympics involved in it.
Secondly, and unrelated to that, I have several regular sports related columns in magazines and newspapers including Norwich, Conn., Newark, Del., Newport, R.I., and Hilton Head, S.C. I also am the Delaware correspondent for Maxpreps.com, a high school sports website owned by CBS Sports.
Q How did you come to work for Special Olympics Delaware?
A When I was an undergrad, we had a class in adaptive physical education, and part of that was to volunteer at a Special Olympics. When I was a graduate student, the athletic trainer at the University of Delaware was on the board of directors for Special Olympics and they asked me to fill in until they could find someone full time.
I just did that and never left.
Q Why is Special Olympics important to you?
A I’ve been able to give back to a population that loves sports, but isn’t always given the opportunity to participate. We give them that opportunity.
When I was running Special Olympic events, it was a great feeling to watch an athlete progress from the beginning of the season to the end. There was one athlete who when he started could run maybe two laps around a track, slowly. Now 15 years later, he’s running half-marathons.
There’s a great deal of satisfaction in giving people the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and prove that, with patience and the expertise of the coach, they can improve like any other athlete.
