Dennis Gaines of Lexington, Kentucky, has been involved with Special Olympics Kentucky as a coach in basketball, bocce, flag football, golf and softball. He will represent Special Olympics USA as a Unified partner in golf, competing with his stepson Wake Mullins. In 2018 and 2022, he competed as a Unified partner in the Special Olympics USA Games. Dennis is active in fundraising efforts for Special Olympics Kentucky, contributing to local Polar Plunge® events. A mentor for Global Messengers, Dennis has advocated alongside athletes at the annual Special Olympics Capitol Hill Day, lobbying for funds and rights for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Dennis is employed as a technician at Toyota’s Production Engineering and Manufacturing Center. His hobbies include fishing, cooking and volunteering for Fayette County Public Schools, supporting at-risk elementary children by teaching them the game of golf. He admires his wife for raising her child with special needs, his stepson Wake, and the sacrifices she made to give him a better life. He calls Wake his “biggest hero.”