More than 300 snow shoe racers, speed skaters, skiers, and snowboarders gathered in Wausau from January 30-31 to compete at the 2010 Special Olympics Wisconsin State Winter Games. Read more
Would you? The kiss of winter reddens thousands of adventurers' cheeks as they stand along the lakefront, sporting a myriad of colorful costumes that reflect like a rainbow off the near-arctic waters. The beach is speckled with warming tents and crowds huddling together to keep warm.
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March 3, 2010 is the Special Olympics day of awareness and we are encouraging everyone to visit www.r-word.org and make their pledge to not use the R-word (retard). Our goal is to reach 100,000 pledges.
"When I hear someone use the R-word its like someone's either calling me a name or cussing at me," said 18 year-old Christopher Keller, a senior at Reedsburg High School. "See to me, it's very hurtful." Read more
20-year-old musician Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers as well as Olympic runner Carl Lewis joined more than 300 Special Olympics staff around the country for Capitol Hill Lobby Day, including Wisconsin's Dennis Alldridge and Kelly Kloepping, urging Members of Congress to authorize The Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act. Read more
"[Attending National Games] means everything to me. The work and time I put into basketball have paid off," said Joseph Mier III. Mier, 30, has played basketball and softball for Special Olympics for the past seven years. Since he joined Special Olympics he has, "seen athletes committed to the team…and overcome [challenges together]," which has changed his perspective on life.
In addition to being a job coach at Venture Unlimited, one of his greatest accomplishments is being happily married. In his spare time, Mier enjoys karate, playing billiards, basketball, meeting new people, collecting sports cards, and basketball jerseys.
Thank you to the Knights of Columbus for being a presenting sponsor of Wisconsin's National Games Team. Learn more about National Games
The Tomah Special Olympics Agency 6-26 started in 1993 and participates in three sports seasons - bowling, basketball skills and team, athletics and, most recently, power lifting. They currently have 32 athletes and have a strong group of parents and volunteers - some giving their time for over 20 years. Read more
Watch this amazing video spot done pro bono by ad
agency BBDO for Special Olympics. The spot is called "Skeleton" and stars 21-year-old Mario Ogunbowale, a Special Olympics Wisconsin athlete.
Special Olympics hopes the commercial will be shown nationwide after being unveiled at the February 24th Milwaukee Bucks basketball game.
The Young Athletes™ Program (YAP) introduces children, ages 2 - 7, both with and without cognitive disabilities, and their families to the world of Special Olympics. The program raises awareness through inclusive peer participation while children are engaged in sports-related play.
Special Olympics Wisconsin welcomes Krysten Kirsch as Director of Youth Initiatives. Kirsch will direct the Young Athletes Program, along with other school-related programming, statewide from the Greater Milwaukee Area 8 office.
In 2009, 325 children participated in five Young Athletes sites across the sate. There are already nine sites scheduled to offer Young Athletes in 2010, six of which are brand new to the program. More information
From glasses to mouth guards, hearing screenings to podiatric evaluations, athletes will be able to capitalize on all of their strengths and identify conditions that may inhibit participation and success in sport through the Healthy Athletes program.
The program will be offered in conjunction with four State Tournaments in 2010. The Healthy athletes program not only benefits Special Olympics athletes for sports performance, but can carry over into the rest of their lives at work, home, school and as a member of society. Read more
In 2009 Special Olympics Wisconsin offered 64 training schools for coaches! SOWI has 2,645 sport certifications. The total number of individual coaches to date in Wisconsin is 1,319 with some coaches certified in more than one sport.
Thank you to all of our coaches for volunteering your time and expertise in the sports you coach!
On January 18, Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) Southeastern Area and Texas Roadhouse in Kenosha teamed up to raise nearly $7,000 during the 2nd annual Guardians of the Flame® Lunch. Read more
Share your thoughts with other athletes, coaches and volunteers and check out the latest news on our Facebook Page.
If your friends jumped into a lake in the middle of winter…
