Residents are invited to come cheer on the Bonney Lake and Sumner High schools Special Olympics basketball teams this month at special nights at each school, all while collecting food for local food banks.

Thirty-five Special Olympics basketball players will participate in individual skills competition and play a full team game at each of these Pack the Gym events.

Admission is free; canned food donations to benefit local food banks are encouraged.

Sumner High School’s event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. today, Wednesday, at the Sumner High School gym, 1707 Main Street, Sumner.

Bonney Lake High School will host its own event at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 29 in the Bonney Lake High School gym, 10920 199th Ave. Ct. E.

Special Olympics athletes are students with disabilities or special needs. All athletes are either current students within grades six-12 or in the district’s Community Transition Program, designed to help these students “transition” out of the school and into a more independent lifestyle.

The program focuses on employment readiness, independent living skills, and other skills that students need to function and live more independently in the community.

Students who have graduated from high school are eligible to participate in the program up to 22 years of age.