Special Olympics officials from across the Cape Fear region were considered for an honor that Richmond County Games Coordinator Cathy Hoggard walked away with Saturday night.

“Several years ago, the Richmond County program was what we consider inactive,” said A’Lisa Tello, vice president of field services and program innovations for Special Olympics North Carolina. “There was no one willing to take on a leadership role in the Special Olympics. Cathy recognized the need in the county, and wanted to see something get going.”

Hoggard won Coordinator of the Year at a Special Olympics recognition dinner in Elizabethtown.

“She does a lot of work, and she has a very strong committee,” said Tello. “It really takes a lot more effort to get a program up and running than to just keep (an existing program) going.”

Tammy Shrenker, director of Richmond County Department Social Services, said that her 17-year-old son Josh will be the first Richmond County athlete to go to the state level Special Olympics in several years because Hoggard “breathed new life” into the county program. Josh has Down’s Syndrome.

“It’s an opportunity to participate in sports events that he would not be able to have participate in otherwise,” said Shrenker. “He has brothers and sisters who are able to do things like be on ball teams and participate in sports. He was able to do that when he was younger, but as the abilities of other kids surpassed him, that stopped.

“This gives him something to be proud of.”

Hoggard said she couldn’t have done it without support from the community and the committee.

“I was very appreciative. I don’t know if words can describe it,” said Hoggard. “And it’s like I told them Saturday night, I’ve got some awesome people helping me. This isn’t my award. It’s our award.”

According to committee member Jeanine Wall, Hoggard doesn’t just work hard herself. She stimulates interest in others.

“She does not even have a child that’s in Special Olympics, and she has worked harder than any of the rest of us,” said Wall. “She has children at home, she’s an occupational therapist, she’s the wife of a coach, and yet she has taken all of this responsibility on her shoulders.

“I mean when you stop and think what’s on her plate, and then what she’s done, it’s monumental. I can’t say enough about her. She’s wonderful.”

Hoggard’s husband Paul is the head football coach at Richmond Senior High School.

While Cathy Hoggard feels “incredibly honored” to be Coordinator of the Year, she said the biggest benefit she receives is the simple ability to watch all her work come together.

“My greatest reward is the day of the event when I see the parade of athletes come out,” said Hoggard. “All the work and all the late hours. That makes it all worthwhile.”