On Sept. 24, 2025, the annual Bill Roby Games were held at the Norton Track and Field Complex. Students from various schools for the visually impaired from states such as Tennessee, Ohio and Indiana headed to Louisville for a day of fun and competition, hosted by the Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB). Trinity’s NHS chapter, led by Ms. Betsy deGolian and Ms. Emily Waford, sent more than 20 students, including senior class secretary Griffin Brunstetter, to volunteer at the games and help in various ways.
The long-running Bill Roby Games originated as KSB’s “Special Olympics,” but the name was later changed to honor longtime supporter Bill Roby. DeGolian said the games are an opportunity for visually impaired students in the region to participate in competitive track and field events while having fun at the same time.
KSB and Trinity have had a close relationship for about 20 years. DeGolian explained the partnership: “Ms. Waford and I have been doing NHS for about 10 years now. Before that, we had a teacher, Mary Ann Hall, who was the NHS moderator. Hall started this partnership 15 to 20 years ago, and every year we send students to help with these games.” Trinity has also served at other KSB events, such as fall and spring festivals, but deGolian acknowledges that serving at the games is the main way they support the students. It also stands out from other opportunities, as both the participating students and Trinity students have lots of fun.
Brunstetter was one of those students who had an especially good time. “I helped work their fall festival last year. It was a great time. That was actually on their campus. We had inflatables inside and some other activities. It really opened my eyes to the great work that the school does. I then signed up to work the Bill Roby Games in the spring, which were canceled and rescheduled for this year.”
DeGolian said her favorite part about the service was seeing Trinity students get excited for the kids participating. She said, “Some of them are in preschool, some in elementary or older, but our guys get so excited for them, cheer them on and are happy to give them medals. It’s just a lot of fun.” Meanwhile, Brunstetter said his favorite part is the joy he sees on the kids’ faces and in their supporters, saying, “Just seeing the joy in the kids, and not only the kids, but the families as well. They have faced countless challenges throughout their lives, things I could never imagine, and they get such joy from minor events like racing.”
When reflecting on Trinity’s mission of building men of faith and character, deGolian and Brunstetter both defined this event as a character builder. DeGolian said, “Opportunities for guys to interact with a different group really build your character. You come to have empathy and respect for people who are different from you and see the world in an entirely different way,” and Brunstetter added, “It helps you see the other struggles that people go through in your own community, right down the street, that you would have never thought of before. It helps grow stewardship and supports the faith pillar.”
Brunstetter, deGolian, NHS and Trinity look forward to continuing to volunteer at these games and maintaining a strong partnership with KSB.
