By Andra Bryan Stefanoni

sports@joplinglobe.com

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Lifelong Pittsburg resident John Lair has volunteered 850 hours in the past year with Special Olympics — that’s the equivalent of 106 eight-hour workdays.

Doing so earned him the title of one of 30 “All Stars Among Us,” awarded by Major League Baseball and People Magazine last week in a national effort to recognize community volunteerism.

On Thursday afternoon, city administrators, city commissioners, former teachers and coaches, friends, family, and Special Olympians gathered at New Hope Services to celebrate.

Mayor Rudy Draper read a proclamation designating the day as “All Star John Lair Day” in Pittsburg, adding that the next four days will be “all about John” as the community prepares to send him off to Tuesday’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game in St. Louis.

There, Lair will meet President Obama, baseball commissioner Bud Selig, several Hall of Fame players, and American and National League players.

According to Lair, 750,000 people were nominated, which was paired down to 400, and then 90. Each of the 30 finalists represent one of the 30 major league baseball teams. Lair, who was nominated by a former athlete he coached at the 2006 Special Olympics National Games, represents the Kansas City Royals.

It’s all a dream come true for Lair, who grew up an athlete with his father as his coach.

“I played on all star teams and was in the J.L. Hutchinson League until I was 17 or 18 years old,” he said. “I was a huge baseball fan and had all that kind of stuff in my room.”

Fifteen years ago, a friend asked Lair to pitch in with a Special Olympics event for which they were short volunteers.

“I agreed, and fell in love with it,” Lair said.

In 2001, he started his own Special Olympics team, which has grown to what authorities say is the best in Kansas. He has coached three World Champion Olympians, and prepping athletes and coordinating events has become his “outside job.”

His paying job for the past 10 years has been as program director for New Hope Services, a subsidiary of Medicalodge, Inc., that is based in Pittsburg and serves clients with special needs.

“Part of what I love about Special Olympics is being part of a pure sport. They don’t care if they win or lose, they just want to participate and meet new friends. It’s not about money or endorsements, it’s smiles, happiness, and pride,” Lair said.