Beaufort-Hyde Special Olympics could use a hand.

Actually, the group could use several hands.

The nonprofit organization, which offers sports opportunities for children and adults with disabilities, is hosting a recruiting/get acquainted meeting Thursday beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Beaufort County Ed Tech Center, located at 820 N. Bridge Street in Washington.

“We’re doing this to educate the public about Special Olympics and to get people involved … athletes, volunteer coaches and people to help with fundraising,” said local Special Olympics coordinator Eric Sedlacek. “We want anybody who is interested to come out and see what we’re all about.”

One immediate goal is to recruit enough athletes and coaches so that such activities as basketball, flag football, bocce and softball can be added to the existing Special Olympics activities offered locally, according to Sedlacek.

An upstate New York native who is an engineer with the N.C. Department of Transportation in his “real” life, Sedlacek succeeded former local coordinator and longtime volunteer Sara Benish this summer.

“I learned Sara was stepping down, so I thought about it and offered to fill the role,” Sedlacek said. “I had been involved in the Special Olympics local games in New York in college; I really like working with the athletes and seeing how excited they got over an achievement.”

When Sedlacek moved to Beaufort County two years ago, he knew he wanted to give back to his new hometown so he began volunteering with Beaufort-Hyde Special Olympics. He welcomes the challenge and rewards of his new volunteer position with the organization.

“My role is basically to keep the program running for our athletes; the athletes are number one and they always need to be number one,” Sedlacek said. “And I make sure we have enough money through our fundraisers so we can keep this program going in the right direction.”

Beaufort-Hyde Special Olympics plans to have a float in the Washington Christmas parade, and activities in 2016 will include a Polar Plunge in February and a kids’ fun run in March, according to Sedlacek.

For more information about becoming an athlete, volunteer or sponsor with Special Olympics, contact Sedlacek via email at soncbeauforthyde@gmail.com.