KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — Kadena Special Olympics needs huggers — 700 hundred of them.

They’re the volunteers who work one on one with athletes at the Kadena games set for Nov. 8 at Risner Gym, said Capt. Mara Roedder, volunteer coordinator.

Kadena’s games, which started in 1999 with 100 athletes, has grown into one of the largest Special Olympics events, said director Maj. David Castor.

This year, they are expecting more than 1,200 athletes, mostly Japanese, said senior adviser Chip Steitz, adding that last year a little more than 900 competed.

That calls for a lot of volunteers.

"The biggest need is for huggers," Roedder said. There should be one for each athlete, and so far organizers have about 500, she said.

Huggers lead athletes to and from their events and, more importantly, they provide the hugs and pats on the back at the completion of each event,

"It’s a big job, it really is," Steitz said.

"Even though we don’t communicate with the language," he said, "on that day, we communicate with the smiles, the laughter and the joy on our faces for the athletes."

Volunteers also are needed to help set up and decorate at the opening and closing ceremonies, provide traffic and crowd control, wear costumes and circulate through the crowds. People with crowd-pleasing talents, such as face painting, mime or making balloon animals, also are needed, as are about 400 volunteers who can speak at least conversational Japanese to act as interpreters, Roedder said.

In all, more than 2,000 volunteers are need to make the games a success, she said.

And it’s important that people who volunteer follow through and show up Nov. 8.

Last year, more than 600 volunteers failed to show up for the games, which made it more difficult for those who did, Steitz said.

Volunteers must be 14 or older. Those 14 to 16 must be accompanied by a parent or fill out a waiver.

To volunteer, e-mail ksookinawa@gimail.af.mil or visit www.kadenaspecialolympics.com.