Neighborhoods in Syracuse will be participating in a city Olympics in August that will include bocce, volleyball, kickball and cornhole.

Believe in Syracuse, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Syracuse, is hosting the daylong event, which will have food, a scavenger hunt and a short film contest in addition to the games.

Paul Colabufo, vice president of Believe in Syracuse and an organizer of Syracuse Olympics, said the Olympics are meant to show neighborhood pride. The event is scheduled to coincide with the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“If you think of the international Olympics, all the countries of the world field teams to show some pride,” Colabufo said. “This is going to be the same thing but for Syracuse, but with each neighborhood fielding a team, and instead of competing for medals they are competing for volunteers to come beautify their neighborhoods.”

This is the first annual games, Colabufo said, and each year a different neighborhood will host. In an effort to show off each neighborhood, visitors can participate in a scavenger hunt, during which people will be led through different highlights and landmarks of the area, he added. This year’s Olympics will be held in Eastwood, New York.

There will be four prizes — one for each event — and each winner will receive an estimated 40 volunteer hours, he said.

Colabufo said the planning team wanted the event to be as inclusive as possible, so people of any age and athletic ability are able to participate. Local leagues will help run the event and provide the equipment: Turbo Bocce for bocce, The Beach at Sharkey’s for volleyball and CNY Cornhole for cornhole. The kickball league is still in the works, he said.

Additionally, there will be food trucks and games for kids, Colabufo said.

About eight professional athletes from Syracuse teams will also participate in an obstacle course that will include jumping through hula hoops and tires, jumping over and crawling under hurdles and completing high and long jumps.

Colabufo said Believe in Syracuse has planned most of the foundation work, like obtaining permits and contacting the sports leagues. Now the nonprofit is working on spreading the word and encouraging people to sign up as volunteers and to create teams.

The budget for the event has not yet been determined, Colabufo said, adding that the nonprofit could hold the Olympics for as little as $500 or up to $8,000. He said he expects to hit about $4,000-$5,000.

Katherine Bell, who is organizing the Olympics with Colabufo, said Believe in Syracuse also hopes to have a film competition at the Olympics, through which people from each neighborhood would create a short film about the neighborhood.

Bell said she is excited to see all the neighborhoods enjoying their home environment and participating in a semi-competitive atmosphere.

“I’m excited to see a bunch of different areas come together,” she said.

Bell added that she hopes this event will shed light on all the Syracuse neighborhoods and bring out participation in younger people.

Oscar Ocampo, the obstacle course organizer, said the event will be “phenomenal” for the city because it will provide an active way for people to interact with each other.

“It promotes social awareness. It brings people together. It brings out community. We are going out together, we are experiencing together, we are sharing those moments,” Ocampo said.

Published on April 19, 2016 at 11:14 pm

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