Susan, better known in the SOMO world as “Shaff,” has been a part of Special Olympics Missouri for the past 19 years as a coach, Unified Partner and staff member. She is currently the Training Coordinator of SOMO, and through the power of sport, she exemplifies the mission of SOMO by being a true mentor to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Shaff provides them with opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy. She also enables them to participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Her nominator wrote: Over the past six years, I have witnessed firsthand a woman that dedicates her life to the well-being of more than 15,000 athletes and families in the state of Missouri that SOMO serves, to more than 250 competitions in one year, and provides guidance to over 1,000 coaches in the state of Missouri. Susan gives her life to SOMO and to all the athletes.

Recent SOMO Hall of Fame inductee Beth Brokamp is also being honored as a nominee for the Gladys Stankowski Sportswoman of the Year.

Update: Both Shaffer and Beth were named the recipient of the award for which they were nominated. If you’d like to congratulate Shaffer, you can email her at shaffer@somo.org.

Every parent is filled with hopes and dreams at the birth of their child. Anything is possible for this precious little one; the possibilities are limitless and the future is bright! 18 parents out of 100 learn their child has an intellectual or developmental disability. The love you feel for your child is undeniable; when a parent is informed of their child’s limitations or impairments, they grieve for the loss of possibilities for their child. You agonize for the limitations a disability or the world may impose on your child. Despite this stunning news your child is a blessing, a precious addition to your family. You begin navigating the slippery slopes of the disability world. You spend hours promoting development, implementing therapeutic methods to strengthen, sharpen, enhance, and stimulate growth, juggling schedules and simply striving to be an informed, effective parent. Before you know it, your little one grows and develops into a remarkable individual with hopes and dreams of their own!

Our children are remarkable, gifted actually, with a capacity others often lack. Our children learn to not accept defeat, to celebrate the successes, develop resiliency to overcome difficulties with a sense of humor and commitment, they embrace their capacity for caring and lavish it upon others. These differences are not limiting – they are character defining. Such obstacles have generated an empowered individual. These were the types of individuals speaking to their legislators in Washington D. C. for Special Olympics Capitol Hill day on February 8, 2012.

Jared Niemeyer with Representative Carnahan

Special Olympics athletes representing 40 states met with their Representatives and Senators to discuss disability issues, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver (EKS) Act and how Special Olympics has influenced their life. These dynamic, empowered individuals carried remarkable messages of overcoming countless obstacles, courage in the midst of loss or defeat, rejuvenating hope and enlightenment. Their message was confident, genuine and truly inspirational!

The Missouri delegation met individually with the legislative assistants of Representatives Vicky Hartzler, Sam Graves, Billy Long, Emanuel Cleaver, and Senator Claire McCaskill. We also met with staff of Representative Joanne Emerson, Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee. We had the honor of speaking with Representatives Todd Akin, Russ Carnahan, Blaine Luetkemeyer and William L. Clay, Jr. President & COO of Special Olympics International, Brady Lum, joined us for an excellent conversation with Jack Ruddy, legislative assistant to Rep. Sam Graves.

Jared with Representative Clay

Our final visit of the day was with Senator Roy Blunt, co-sponsor of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act. This meeting took place in Senator Blunt’s offices. The conference room of Senator Blunt’s office was the office of Harry S. Truman’s during part of his vice-presidency. Tim Shriver, Chairman & CEO Special Olympics, Inc., was able to join us for this remarkable meeting. Senator Blunt shared with us historical moments during Truman’s tenure. As a committed supporter of intellectual/developmental disability issues, Blunt not only received us warmly, but spoke knowledgably of our concerns.

Capitol Hill Day concluded with a candlelight vigil at the Reflecting Pool. Despite the cold temperatures and chilly rain – spirits and enthusiasm could not be dampened! The message to promote inclusive education, competitive employment and healthy living remained strong! Hopes and dreams were very much alive within the hearts of every individual representing Special Olympics and Best Buddies.

Jared and Representative Luetkemeyer

On Capitol Hill the voices of these Special Olympics athletes and Best Buddies were confident, speaking out with the resilience taught by life experience and character representative of strong personal values. The individuals participating in Capitol Hill Day reminded one another they represented thousands of athletes from their home states; therefore, were committed to delivering a strong, clear message. Pursuing inclusive education, community living, fair and competitive employment and living healthy lifestyles was the focus of this message. Their dreams are bold, their voice was strong and clear. The hopes and dreams of these remarkable young individuals are perhaps greater than those we may have initially dreamed for our children!

Let’s join our voices with those who carry this message every day. Our youth are the leaders prompting the advocacy for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities today. Expect social justice and opportunity for every citizen. Disabilities do not preclude possibilities. Special Olympics promotes opportunities and empowerment. Allow your dreams to soar – as anything is possible for the strong of heart!

With the rising cost of gas and increasingly busier schedules, we sometimes have teams opt out of state events to save money and/or time. We wanted to create new opportunities for our athletes to compete closer to home. Adding district- and regional-level events will not only satisfy that need, but it will also bring the magic of Special Olympics to additional communities.

So, what are the new events? Click here for a visual breakdown.

• We have added two district bowling competitions in March. Any athlete who competed at the area level may advance to districts. Athletes from Northwest, KC Metro, Southwest, Central, and Northeast areas will compete in St. Joseph March 2-3. Athletes from St. Louis Metro, Southeast, Northeast, and Central areas will compete in St. Charles March 17-18. A coach may request permission from their Area Director to attend the competition opposite to which they are assigned. These events will include an overnight stay for out-of-area teams. Athletes must earn a gold or silver medal to advance from districts to state. State competition in bowling will now take place during State Summer Games.
• We have also added two regional basketball competitions in March. As it has been in the past, any athlete who competed at the area level in basketball may advance to districts, and they must earn a gold or silver at districts to advance to regionals. Teams from KC Metro, Northwest, Southwest, Central, and Northeast areas will compete at North Kansas City and Park Hill schools March 24. Teams from St. Louis Metro, Southeast, Northeast and Central areas will compete in Wentzville March 31. A coach may request permission from their Area Director to attend the competition opposite to which they are assigned. These events will include an overnight stay for out-of-area teams. Athletes must earn a gold medal at regionals to advance to state. State competition in basketball will now take place during State Summer Games.
• If the number of softball teams continues to grow, we may add regional softball competition in 2013. This year, any teams who compete at the area tournament may advance to districts. Teams must earn a gold or silver medal at districts to advance to State Fall Games.

Athletes may participate in all sports up until state competition. Athletes will be allowed to compete in one individual sport and one team sport at the state level. The same goes for coaches. Click here for a visual illustration of how athletes can advance through each sport.

Here’s how the sports fit in at the two state events:

State Summer Games: Columbia, May 29 – June 1, including aquatics, athletics, basketball, bowling, powerlifting and volleyball.

State Fall Games: Cape Girardeau, October 11 – 14, including bocce, flag football, golf, soccer, softball, and tennis. 

You’ll notice volleyball competition has been moved to State Summer Games, which means area competition will now take place in April. Bocce and soccer competition have been moved to State Fall Games, which means area tournaments will be held between June and October. Golf, softball and tennis competitions may be adjusted slightly from previous years to allow for state competition in October.

Each sport will be evaluated at the end of each sports season to determine if we need to realign sports in an effort to continue to grow and maintain participation in the current sports. The numbers will be evaluated and compared to the average participation between the competition years of 2008-2013.

Competitions at the local, area, district and regional levels will remain FREE of charge for the athletes. state, national and world games will continue to be an opportunity for athletes and teams/agencies to raise money at the grass roots level. The cost per athlete to attend state games in 2012 is $50. Since housing is one of our largest expenses, teams may choose not to stay in the provided lodging and receive a 50% discount per athlete ($25). 

We hope you will enjoy the new opportunities this year. Check out our FAQ document for additional details. If any of your questions have not been answered, please leave them in the comments below.

Amy Wurst is a long-time volunteer as well as a SOMO Board Member. She is Vice President at Henry Wurst, Inc., in Kansas City. This was her fourth year participating in the Super Plunge.

Only 24 hours till the start of the SUPER PLUNGE!
I’m busy getting many outfits ready for my 24 plunges – there are a few new ones this year. I’m excited that my 10-year-old nephew is going to come join me for an afternoon plunge. Craziness must run in the family.

Thank you again for your generosity. I exceeded my goal thanks to you. The athletes of Special Olympics Missouri thank you as well. Without your support, they would not be able to train and compete year round in wide variety of sports.

SUPER PLUNGE is about to begin!
The good news is that the lake is not covered in a thick coating of ice this year! The search and rescue divers don’t have to do any chain sawing to clear us a path to plunge. And, the water won’t refreeze between plunges in the middle of the night. Yay!

The bad news is that the water is still VERY, VERY COLD!! The forecast is for rain later this afternoon – that would not be very pleasant. Let’s hope the forecast is wrong.

The first plunge is at noon and then every hour after that through the night. We are in a tent down by the water’s edge.

I’m all checked in and have my computer set up so I can get some work done between plunges and send updates.

Plunge #1 is over!
No matter how many times I’ve done it, the shock of that first plunge takes my breath away and feels like needles on my legs. Gee … only 23 more to go.

The three polar bears are Bill, Brian and me who are the lifers of the KC Super Plunge group. This is year #4 for the three of us and we just keep coming back.

The really great news is that as a group, the Super Plungers have raised almost $50,000! We couldn’t have done it without your support. Thank you!

Plunges #2 & #3
Well … in order to make up a couple of hours so we are done by 9 am tomorrow, we do a few double dips. We just finished plunges 2 & 3 – going in and out and in and out is pretty painful! My toes are still tingling.

Plunges #4, #5 & #6
We’re 25% done on plunges … time seems to be passing quickly. We’ll see if that trend continues into the wee hours.

We have a hot tub, but it sprang a leak and had to be refilled. Right now its water temperature is about the same as the lake water. I sure hope it warms up before nighttime!

A new Plunger takes a dip!
My nephew Andrew came out for plunge #7 -  he raised over $300 so he could do a plunge too. Gotta love his Root Suit! He says it didn’t help keep him warm at all. It couldn’t have been that horrible for him because he said he wants to do it again next year! Welcome to the craziness Andrew!

More Plunging
Thanks to Amy Skeels for coming out and bringing her dogs and all that chocolate! Plunging continues and now we have a country music band playing some kickin’ music for our entertainment. And big thanks to Andrew’s family for bringing me a fabulous gluten-free SPIN pizza – so yummy!

9 plunges down … 15 to go.

And the Plunging continues
We have now completed 13 plunges … over the halfway mark! Thank you to Amy & Ginger, Brenda & Stevie, Julie & Jackson & Mackenzie for coming out and bringing me some doggy love and great treats (hot tea, cheese soup, coffee, hot chocolate and snacks). You’d be surprised  how many calories you burn when you are running into freezing water and shivering! At least that’s what I’m telling myself as I continue to stuff my face.

Plunging through the night
Some dog visitors enjoyed watching me take a few plunges. I’m pretty sure Jackson the collie wanted to save me from the very large “well.”

It is now just after 6 am and we have completed 21 of 24 plunges. We double dipped at midnight, 2 am, 4 am and 6 am so that we can be done by 9 am. We’ve got to clear our stuff out of the tent by 10 so that it can be ready for the 1000+ plungers starting at noon.

We ran out of propane for the heaters in the tent so it is quite chilly now … makes it hard to warm up after being in the water. Thank goodness there are only 3 plunges left.

Rumor has it that Channel 9 will be out here for the remaining plunges – watch that clip here.

DONE!
Sunrise over the water sure was a welcome sight! We got some new propane tanks hooked up and got heat going again thank goodness. We made an executive decision after our 6 am double dip to do one more double dip at 8 and then a final plunge at 8:30.

I made it through yet another year of 24 plunges in 24 hours … next year will be my 5th anniversary! You’ll be hearing from me toward the end of the year for next year’s plunge! Thank you so much for your support.

I was provided with the opportunity to speak at the 2011 Law Enforcement Torch Run kickoff event for Special Olympics. For those of you that are not familiar with LETR, police officers around the world raise money through various events throughout the year for Special Olympics. This would not be possible without the support of police chiefs and sheriffs around the globe. I was invited to speak because my 15-year-old daughter, Brooke, is a Special Olympics athlete, and I happen to be a police officer. I was invited to share our story. The following is a summary of that presentation:

Brooke was born on April 23, 1996. When she was born, we were told congratulations, you have a healthy baby girl. Less than 48 hours later, we were approached by some of the physicians who suggested that Brooke may have Down syndrome and would like our permission to test her. These doctors were the enemy, having informed us of the possibility of something that no parent wants to hear. We gave permission and began the task of waiting for the results. Two weeks later we received a telephone call letting us know that Brooke did in fact have Down syndrome.

Our initial reaction was similar to others that I have met when they learned their child was diagnosed with any type of special needs. The first thoughts were about all of the things that she would not be able to do; like get married, or go to college, or drive a car. We quickly learned to focus on what she can do and not, what she can’t do. The truth is that there are more similarities between people with special needs and typical people than there are differences.

When Brooke was about four months old, we learned that she needed open heart surgery to repair several holes in her heart. Despite the fact that we were angry at the doctors that told us about her having Down syndrome because they were the messenger, it was a blessing in disguise. About half of children born with Down syndrome have some type of heart defect. We would not have discovered this had it not been for the tests that were performed because of her diagnosis.

One of the most difficult things that we have ever had to do as parents was to turn our six month old child over to complete strangers and trust them with her life. The wait in the waiting room was unbearable, but you do learn that there is always someone out there that has it worse than you. Overall the surgery was a success, but we did learn that she would need another surgery in the future. That time arrived a year and one half later.

The surgery was done to repair her mitral valve. The challenge was whether or not the surgeon would be able to repair the valve or replace it. If he was unable to repair it, there would have been additional surgeries as she grew. Fortunately, he was able to repair her valve, and almost 14 years later she is doing great.

It is said that God does not give you anything you can’t handle. We have since had two boys that have each challenged that concept. That is another way that Brooke has been treated just like a typical child. Her brothers don’t give her any slack and constantly bother her like any brothers would to their sister.

Aside from the medical issues, the early years of Brooke’s life were not that much different from any other child. She attended the same day care as typical kids and participated in sporting events, such as T-ball. Kids with intellectual disabilities eat, sleep, cry and poop, just like all of the other kids.

She made a lot of friends who invited her to all of the birthday parties and invited her to play with them. This continued until about the beginning of middle school. This was the time that the intellectual differences between her and typical kids began to show. It was not that the other children stopped being nice to her, but the invitations stopped coming. The typical kids, with a few exceptions really didn’t know how to relate to her anymore.

Seeing this change developing, my wife got Brooke involved with Special Olympics. She could see that she needed something more. Her younger brother was beginning to participate in various sports. From the very beginning, Brooke was welcomed and encouraged. It was not long before Brooke was earning medals in various sports. You could see the improvement in her athletic ability with time, and you could see the confidence increase.

For many of the athletes involved in Special Olympics, this is the only time that people talk to them at all. Many people with intellectual disabilities go all day without being spoken to at all.

Of the many things that can’t be measured in medals are the relationships that have been built with Brooke and other athletes, as well as, between our family and other families. A benefit that we didn’t even realize in the beginning was the benefit of meeting other families that were facing similar challenges that we were facing.

Special Olympics also provided an avenue for some of Brooke’s typical friends to socialize with her. Brooke participates in Unified basketball, which allows for her typical friends to play on the team alongside the athletes with intellectual disabilities. This relationship allows for the athletes to model the behavior of their typical peers. The experience will also stay with the typical athletes for their entire lives.

This year, Brooke has been more involved in the activities that support Special Olympics. She ran the torch into Ameristar Casino for the St. Charles leg of the Torch Run and appeared on a billboard in St. Louis with Rams player Robert Quinn and another athlete. She really enjoyed participating in all of the activities this year.

We all entered law enforcement for the same reason; to help those who cannot help themselves. Sometimes the administrative work and paperwork overshadow what we are really supposed to be doing. We all face the same issue as it relates to manpower, but we always find time to listen to the mayor, counsel people, alderman, and citizens that want to be that squeaky wheel. Just because it’s not squeaking does not mean that it doesn’t need oil.

People with intellectual disabilities are part of our communities as well. In fact, depending on who you are talking to, there are between 200,000,000 and 300,000,000 people in the world with intellectual disabilities. Unless you live in a city with less than 25 people, you have citizens that have intellectual disabilities in your community.

In closing, I want to thank all of you for allowing my family to share some of our life with you. I hope in some way our story helps to motivate those that are already involved to work harder, or inspire some to get involved. I want to thank all of the officers and the administrators that allow them some time for their fundraising efforts. For those of you that are not involved, I encourage you to go back to your departments and begin now. You don’t have to raise a large amount of money to be part of this movement. I just ask that you get involved because this is your community.

Renee Sherman is a Young Athletes Program parent from the Northwest Area.

I spent 14 years of my life playing T-ball and girls fast pitch softball. Before that, I was a bat girl for the fast pitch teams that my dad used to coach. Every late spring and early summer, my family and I lived and breathed softball. So, as an adult, when I had the opportunity to be assistant coach for girls fast pitch team 12 & under, I jumped at the chance and thought I would love the opportunity to pass on my love of softball to a new generation. The world of competitive sports was very different from an adult’s vantage point. The girls were great, but the ugliness of competitive sports at such a vital young learning age, turned me off of organized sports.

Years later, my son was born. What was supposed to be a wondrous moment, turned into that of fear, confusion, sadness and dread upon learning that he was born with Down syndrome. It took a lot of time to know that our family outlook was a positive one (that however, is another story). This story is realizing that my son could partake in an organization called Special Olympics! What a glorious moment for me to know that he would be able to participate with a group that would support his every accomplishment, attempt and failure. He would be surrounded by individuals who see an opportunity to compete, not to berate the competition, but uplift those whom would challenge themselves. I understood that the parent base (many of whom had a rough bout dealing with diagnosises, hospital stays, the outside world’s perception of their child) would protect my son as a pride of lions protect their own. They would be there to support all individuals involved in the activity, not slinging mud at umpires, coaches, other parents or young competitors. Some parents may see Special Olympics as another reminder of their child’s disability, but after my short time as assistant coach, I relished the thought of being involved with Special Olympics. And then I learned a hard lesson: My son would have to be eight years old in order to compete.

Eight years is a long time for someone who understood the value of organized activities at a young age: strength, coordination, patience, teamwork, self confidence, persistence – all those skills that make us stronger individuals. Boy, was I relieved to learn from our First Step Therapists about a new Special Olympics program called YAP, Young Athletes Program, for children with disabilities age three to eight! Let the games begin!

Liam has been enjoying the Young Athletes Program for almost three years now. He has grown cognitively, physical, and socially. He also participated in the Northwest Area Little Feet Meet last spring, where he earned a certificate of achievement.

I remember the first-ever Special Olympics Softball Tournament held in Missouri. It was the summer of 1978 in the middle of July in Hannibal. We had received a letter asking us if we were interested in playing in a Special Olympics Softball Tournament. Softball wasn’t even an official sport in Missouri Special Olympics, but of course our team was ready to play anything, so we began practicing.

I still wonder how I ever made it through those early years. Only a handful of the kids had their own gloves. Most had never even held a bat. Asking them to throw a ball was out of the question. But they wanted to play, so we worked twice week for as long as I could stand it.

And so we traveled the nearly three hours to Hannibal in three vehicles full of some of the most obnoxious, loud, wonderful, hilarious and loving kids. It was hot and we were ever so glad to arrive at our designated housing for the next two nights, until we found out where we were staying.

It had been arranged for all of the teams to stay in a primitive Boy Scout camp. There we stayed in log cabins with no electricity and only one source of running water in the entire campground.

The kids were thrilled. We ate hamburgers and hot dogs cooked over a wood fire, with chips and sodas. Later on we had s’mores. It was fun until we had to go bed. We only had one flashlight, and as I said this place was very primitive. After I had walked all of the groups to their cabins, because they would ONLY go with me in case of a bear attack, I finally walked my group to their cabin.

We spent half the night answering questions about each sound that was heard or that they thought they heard and the other half of the night walking someone to the bathroom, which was the nearest tree or bush.

Finally, morning arrived and we ate cold cereal with milk for breakfast. Then it was time to play. I think there were five teams that ended up playing that first year. There were no divisions, we just played each other. I think we played three games that first day and I know we won all of them.

That night we had McDonald’s hamburgers and fries with orange drink. The fries were cold and limp and the burgers were four hours old, but they were free. The worst part was going back to the cabins with a bunch of stinky kids and no showers. The best part was that they were too tired to worry about noises, but we still had to walk them into the woods to go to the bathroom.

The next morning we had more cold cereal and milk and back to the field. We won our last game and then had to play in the championship. The team we were to play had been our toughest competition and they had not yet played that day.

We won by few runs, but the biggest excitement was the triple play we turned that took what seemed like 15 minutes.

With runners on first and second and no outs, our shortstop caught a fly ball (1 out), but both runners took off on the hit and the batter ran to first. The shortstop ran over and tagged the runner at third (2 outs) and then threw the ball back to our pitcher. I immediately yelled for our pitcher to throw the ball to first base.

Of course the other coach was yelling at his player on second to return to first. And all the while I begged and pleaded with our pitcher to throw the ball to first to no avail. Finally I asked why she wouldn’t throw it to first, and amidst all of the uproar, she told me that I had not told her why she should throw it to first. So, of course I began to explain it to her. Finally she understood and threw the ball to first, while the poor runner at second just stood there so proud for advancing, and we completed a triple play.

Later, after receiving our trophy, our athletes decided they were going to try playing softball again maybe, as long as it wasn’t so hot. And then we drove home with the stinkiest bunch of kids I have ever been with, but they were also the happiest.

Excellence in life and in sports depends on good health. In Special Olympics, we take this very seriously. 

The Special Olympics movement was founded on a mission to provide sports training and athletic competition to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Our vision goes beyond the sports field and into improving the quality of life of our athletes. We’ve seen research that shows participation in our program leads to better performance at school, work and home. Now we know we can affect their health as well.

“The doctors found that William was nearly legally blind. His eyesight was so bad that to improve his vision, he would need three different prescriptions, each one stronger than the other before he would be able to see correctly.”

Special Olympics, Inc. commissioned a Special Report on the Health Status and Needs of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. The report identified areas that, if made available, could improve the quality and length of life for Special Olympics athletes. The findings showed that as few as 30% of patients with intellectual disabilities receive care from medical specialists, even though it is estimated 92% of them need specialty care related to eyesight, oral health and heart disease.

Special Olympics, Inc. came up with a solution: Healthy Athletes was launched in 1996 as a means to promote better health for our athletes and bring attention to the lack of health care for those with intellectual disabilities.

Here at home, with the prompting of then-board chair Naomi Cupp of Columbia, we began offering Healthy Athlete initiatives in 2003. Since SOMO began offering the screenings, 541 dentists, hygienists, optometrists, opticians, audiologists, physical therapists, nurses and physical therapy assistants from all over Missouri have donated their time.

The Healthy Athlete disciplines we offer in Missouri include:

Special Smiles is a dental screening to detect cavities and other oral health issues. In 2010, 20% of athletes going through Special Smiles needed follow-up care because of pain or decay. In contrast, slightly more than 2% of all US employed adults reported that their last trip to the dentist was because of pain of a toothache. This initiative is made possible by the Missouri Dental Association.

One of the questions that the volunteer dentists ask each athlete is who their dentist is. More often than not they hear, “You are.” This is the only dental screening many of our athletes will get due to financial restrictions.

FunFitness is a screening to assess and improve flexibility, strength and balance. Athletes are moved through a variety of stations all run by volunteer physical therapists from the MO Physical Therapy Association. Athletes take exercise ideas home with them to incorporate into their training.

Health Promotion is a screening which looks at the overall health of the athlete. We own our own bone density machine to check for early stages of osteoporosis. As well, this discipline checks BMI and provides education on nutrition and sun safety. On average, 60% of our athletes are identified as obese and receive education to improve their diet.

Healthy Hearing is relatively new to our offerings but it has fast become a huge asset. Athletes receive a hearing test by trained audiologists. As may as 28% failed their hearing tests in 2011. This program is led by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Missouri State University.

Opening Eyes is the most comprehensive screening we offer. This entire program is done in cooperation with Lions Club International. Coordinated by the Missouri Optometric Association, this is a complete vision screening like you would receive at a doctor’s office.

On average, 43% of SOMO athletes who have been through our Opening Eyes vision screening over the past eight years have needed and received a new or updated prescription and free eyewear. Athletes who don’t need prescription eyeglasses all get to take a free pair of designer sunglasses.

We have seen the most dramatic success with this program. William Johnson, an outfielder from Kansas City, is living proof. William would look one way and throw the ball the other way. His coach took him through our very first Opening Eyes screening. The doctors found that William was nearly legally blind. His eyesight was so bad that to improve his vision, he would need three different prescriptions, each one stronger than the other before he would be able to see correctly. Through the Opening Eyes program, he got three pairs of glasses and now when he looks one way he can also throw that way!

Fit Feet is a free podiatric screening for participating Special Olympics athletes evaluating ankles, feet, lower extremity biomechanics, and proper shoe and sock gear. We hope to host our first screening at our 2012 Summer Games.

As an added bonus, every $1 spent for Healthy Athlete Programs returns $5 in pro-bono services thanks to the great partnerships with health care professionals.　 These screenings are provided through partnerships with licensed healthcare professionals at the Missouri Optometric Association, Missouri Dental Association, Missouri Physical Therapy Association and others. Special Olympics serves as the largest provider of health screenings in the world.　

We take the health of our athletes very seriously. Consider ways you can support Healthy Athletes. Professional healthcare volunteers are always needed as is funding of offset the costs to offer the screenings.

Ashley Dawson is Special Olympics Missouri’s Social Media Coordinator and has been on staff for four years. She can be reached at dawson@somo.org.

When you work for Special Olympics, you are often asked how you got involved with the organization. Well, my story goes a little something like this.

Five years ago, I had just moved to Columbia. I was in a new state, and at a new school, and I knew no one. This was WAY outside my comfort zone. I had just spent three years at the University of Nebraska. Back in Nebraska, I had friends and a fiance; in Columbia I was slowly making a few friends and living on my own for the first time. Even though I had only dabbled in volunteering in college, I felt the need to fill my evenings with some type of organization and the City of Columbia website had a listing for Special Olympics basketball practice helpers. I knew basketball! I could help coach or do drills or anything they asked. So I went, and while I don’t remember what I expected exactly, or if I even knew who Special Olympics served as a population, I remember only feeling a bit uncertain that I wouldn’t find the right person to tell them I was there to volunteer. I felt a bit like I didn’t belong, in the way most people do when everyone else seems to know what is going on, except you.

That feeling didn’t last long. I quickly got assigned to a team. I helped each Monday night at a women’s five-on-five practice. It was just an hour, but these girls were so great. I loved hearing them chat about their day, about the crush they have or how hard work was that day. These girls were a range of about 16-40, but mostly just young adult women. Before I knew it, I was coaching my very own three-on-three team. Those memories are so fond to me. The excitement of making a basket in a game, the silliness of make-believe animals during practice, and the caring friendship they offered me and each other. I wanted to be a constant, positive force in their lives, and they certainly were for me.

From volunteer, to coach, to intern, to employee – Special Olympics has offered me a family I didn’t know I was looking for, a place to grow in character, and friendships that endure. Special Olympics has given me a true home away from home.

One of my earliest memories of our involvement with Special Olympics was in 1999 when SOMO Board Member Dave Pudlowski approached SHOP ‘n SAVE with a routine request. Dave asked if we would agree to sell the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) T-shirt in our stores. Such a request was common for a retailer with multiple locations and fit well with our company’s desire to support those in law enforcement, while increasing our level of community involvement. However, the response from both customers and associates was unlike any fundraiser we had ever promoted.

Randy Reddick, second from left, first got involved with SOMO through the Law Enforcement Torch Run

The Torch Run campaign generated not only sales, but a heightened awareness of Special Olympics’ mission to provide year-round athletic competition for their athletes. The extraordinary success of the T-shirt promotion led to a discussion of future events that would benefit from the collective efforts of law enforcement, SOMO, and SHOP ‘n SAVE. Beginning with annual events such as the Polar Plunge and St. Louis Metro Area Spring Games, SHOP ‘n SAVE associates demonstrated their commitment and enthusiasm by participating in multiple events each year. The Trivia Night introduced in 2009 attracted over 600 SHOP ‘n SAVE associates who raised $35,000 in donations. With over 200 volunteers participating, some SHOP ‘n SAVE sponsored events have surpassed even those of the St. Louis Metro Area, with this year’s car raffle sales setting a new record of $46,000 in donations. Raising over $300,000 in 2001, the annual St. Louis Golf Classic is now one of the largest golf tournaments in the region.

Today, Shop 'n Save is one of SOMO's biggest supporters.

While SHOP ‘n SAVE has been an ardent supporter of Special Olympics through its fundraising efforts, it is the spirit of the “volunteer” that truly makes the difference in our commitment. Our SHOP ‘n SAVE associates look forward to these annual events and take pride in knowing that they are supporting the athletes’ ability to experience the excitement of training and competing in a sport that they enjoy. Special Olympics volunteers stand apart, exhibiting humility and energy for the mission, as they focus on what is best for the athletes.

Therefore, our answer to the question: “Why Special Olympics?” is crystal clear.

I can think of no greater group to support than the athletes, who appreciate the opportunities afforded them and demonstrate the will to succeed. They handle both winning and disappointment with a dignity that should be modeled in all competitive sports. The evolving partnership between SOMO and SHOP ‘n SAVE has provided our associates the experience of both “a volunteer and a fan.” As a result, the spirit of Special Olympics is embedded within our culture and the lives of those who volunteer.