The Special Olympics State Summer Games will be held in Ithaca this weekend, in the last time for the city's rotation as host. Teams are working to prepare for the games, and Tompkins County athletes are practicing multiple times a week so that they'll be ready.

Michael Hallett is a basketball coach for a Special Olympics team competing this weekend.

“So you want to make them work, but have fun so they don't know they’re working. And that's the fun part,” said Hallett.

Hallett says in the last few years, the team has won five gold medals and one silver. Andrew Hay is one of the team’s athletes.

“Skiing, basketball, golfing, those are the main ones,” said Hallett, who plays several sports and is featured in an exhibit at the History Center in Tompkins County.

He says the exhibit might spread awareness about Special Olympics to potential athletes.

“People who have special needs can figure out what the Special Olympics are,” said Hallett.

“I mean, it really is such a powerful example of how a community comes together to build such a meaningful experience,” said Ben Sandberg, the executive director at the History Center.

“We want objects to be a part of those stories, in addition to photographs and in addition to the words and voices of athletes,” said Sandberg.

An interactive panel guides visitors through Special Olympics stories.

“Now people will come back at some point and ask, 'what was it like?' What did it mean when Special Olympics was here in Tompkins County?” said Sandberg.

The role that the Special Olympics has played in Ithaca lives on this year at the exhibit at the History Center. Athletes can join Special Olympics as young as 8, and anyone can be a spectator at this weekend’s games in Ithaca.