The Fayette

Service Center is a division of the McIntosh Trail Community Service Board,

which provides mental health, developmental disabilities and addictive

disease disability services.

Dean Roach,

director of the center, said Fields and Scarborough were ideal ambassadors

for Fayette County and Georgia because "they are perfect examples

of the consumers we serve. They are very important to our community. They

participate in activities, they work, they earn money, save money, spend

money. They do the things in our community that everyone else does."

Fields and

Scarborough each take part in one of the center's employment programs.

Fields works five days a week in the center's Day Support program, doing

contract work for local companies. Scarborough, meanwhile, works three

days a week at Wal-Mart through the center's Supported Employment program.

"They

are loyal employees," Roach said. "They hardly ever miss work.

Their employers really get a good deal. Every employment survey that we

have sent out always comes back with excellent reviews. Quite often, we

have a new business that comes into the community, and they call us. We've

had many of our consumers to find jobs that way, because these businesses

have heard we have good employees."

Roach noted,

for instance, that Scarborough was the senior staff member at Burger King

before moving to Wal-Mart. "Cynthia's like a lot of us in our careers,"

Roach said. "She was ready for a new experience."

The center

has also assisted Fields and Scarborough in their living arrangements.

Scarborough participates in McIntosh Trail's independent living program,

sharing an apartment with a roommate. Fields lives in a private group

home. This independence was valuable to them in their new role as world

travelers when they flew from Atlanta to Orlando for the first leg of

their trip. Once they were across the Atlantic Ocean, they practiced their

badminton for a week while becoming acquainted with other Special Olympics

athletes from around the world.

In Ireland,

they participated in the Opening Ceremonies before making their way to

the badminton courts. But it wasn't all work and no play. There were sights

to see, fine meals to enjoy, stores to shop and, it seemed, one party

after another to attend.

"This

is the first time they had done anything like this," said Grace Scarborough,

Cynthia's mother, who joined them for the second week of the trip. "They

were well treated, and the security was wonderful. The people in Dublin

were great; they were glad to have the Olympics there."

Whether or

not another trip to the international games is in their future, Fields

and Scarborough are continuing their Special Olympics pursuits. Last month,

they were scheduled to play bocce, a form of bowling, at a competition

in Macon, and another event is planned for this month. They practice every

week at the Fayette County Recreation Center.

When asked

their favorite memories from their trip to Ireland, Fields responded,

"Good food." Scarborough said it was "meeting lots of other

people." To Grace Scarborough, the experience was a dream come true

for her daughter and her friend, stating, "I never dream ed

they'd have the opportunity to do anything like that."