Chesapeake Sheriff treats Sp. Olympics Elite Unit to cruise around the lake

CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Around a dozen Special Olympics Virginia athletes spent Saturday morning cruising around the lake.

The Chesapeake Sheriff's Office celebrated its sixth Splash at the Lake — a day of fun for its Elite Unit on Oak Grove Lake in Greenbrier.

The Elite Unit is made up of Special Olympics athletes and joins the Sheriff's Office for events throughout the year. With the help of nonprofit Virginia Beach Adaptive Watersports, Sheriff Jim O'Sullivan and his staff are able to give back.

A boat pulls the athletes on waterskis and inner tubes in a loop around the lake.

“Special Olympic athletes come out for the event, but they also come out for us," said Undersheriff Dave Rosado. "When they come in, they greet us, ‘Hey, Dave, I haven’t seen you in a while,’ or they mingle with their friends that they haven’t seen in a while so it’s the occasion of them getting together.”

One of the athletes is Lt. Javonte Riddick. He told News 3 he has autism and loves the opportunity to work with the

“I tell you man, they’re treating me so good and I like to be out here with the Sheriff’s Office and they’re motivating me," Riddick said shortly after his own turn waterskiing.

Next, the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office plans to compete in the annual Dulles Plane Pull in support of Special Olympics Virginia. The September event challenges fundraising teams to see who can pull an airbus a predetermined distance the fastest. Chesapeake Sheriff's deputies are going for their 15th straight victory.