Grant to support Special Olympics bocce in Auburn

Published 5:30 am Thursday, March 5, 2026

The City of Auburn in short time will accept a $20,000 grant for the Department of Social and Heath Services for bocce ball equipment for specialized recreational programs.

But there’s a condition: for Auburn to get the grant and use the funds to procure the necessary equipment, Mayor Nancy Backus or a designee must first execute a new contract between the city and DSHS.

Here is a cost breakdown of what the grant would net the city.

• $9,000: Four portable, 60 x 12 bocce courts, the regulation size for Special Olympics competition

• $2,500: Awards/medals for Special Olympics competitions and tournaments

• $2,300 Four adaptive bocce bowling ramps for outdoor play

• $2,100: Four boccia ball sets, that is, with softer balls, suitable for Paralympics, for individuals with severe disabilities, and for indoor play. The softer balls should help keep facilities in good condition, for example, by preventing dents in floors

• $1,100: For a boccia equipment kit

• $600: Four backline sets to mark portable court lines for each Special Olympic court

• $400: And four bocce ball set accessories for outdoor play.