Butler Township resident Tim Spence holds up on Monday May 23, 2011, some of the many Special Olympics medals he earned, culminating in him being inducted into the Pennsylvania Special Olympics Hall of Fame. Butler Eagle File Photo

At age 8, Tim Spence, of Butler Township, brought a flyer home from school detailing a Special Olympics track and field competition.

After 31 years of competition, hundreds of medals and a decade of serving as a Global Messenger for the Special Olympics organization, Spence earned his place in the Pennsylvania Special Olympics Hall of Fame in 2011.

Spence competed in seven or eight Special Olympic events annually — but it was never about the medals.

“It’s about meeting new friends and seeing old friends,” he said. “It’s fun. I do my best and encourage others to do their best.”