HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Candi Blessing will go from the cafeteria at Meritus Health to the mountains in Turin, Italy, on March 8.

Blessing, 39, of Smithsburg, is a member of Team USA competing in the Special Olympics World Winter Games, which will end March 15.

She’ll be making the trip with some help from her co-workers. The Meritus Health Foundation held a raffle fundraiser, with more than $2,300 going toward her expenses.

She has worked at Meritus for 11 years in nutrition services, but has been competing in Special Olympics for more than 30 years. Aside from snowshoeing, her sports include athletics, basketball and floor hockey. She competed in the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in athletics in New Jersey.

“I get to meet a lot of new people,” Blessing said of her involvement in Special Olympics. “We all get along, and I enjoy the competition.”

As for her sport during the upcoming games, Blessing said she doesn’t mind the cold.

“Sometimes my coach makes me dress warmer,” she joked.

She said she is excited for her trip and competition, though she’s a little worried about getting proper rest with the time difference. Italy is six hours ahead of the East Coast.

More than 1,500 athletes from 102 delegations will compete in eight sports in an international demonstration of inclusion, acceptance and unity, according to the Special Olympics website for the Turin games.

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Meritus Health, Western Maryland’s largest health care provider, is located at the crossroads of Western Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The mission of Meritus Health is to improve the health of the region by providing the best healthcare, health services and medical education. As an anchor organization for the community, Meritus has 4,000 employees and serves more than 200,000 residents of the tristate region through Meritus Medical Center, Brook Lane Health Services, Meritus Medical Group, Meritus Home Health, Meritus Equipped for Life, and the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. More information can be found at www.MeritusHealth.com or visit our Facebook page or LinkedIn page.