2016 marks the 15th year Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) has offered Healthy Athletes®! Please bring your athletes to receive free health screenings! There will be four Healthy Athletes disciplines offered at Summer Games (SG), including Health Promotions, Opening Eyes and Special Smiles on Friday June 10 and Healthy Hearing on Saturday June 11 (see specific times and locations on next page). We invite all athletes with a current medical on file with SOWI to the screenings, even if they are not competing at SG!
- Special Smiles®, funding provided by Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Inc., performs dental screenings to increase awareness of oral health. At the screening, dentists and hygienists identify oral problems, and athletes are provided with hygiene education as well as a “goody-bag” with dental care items and, if appropriate for the sport the athlete participates in, a free fitted mouth guard! At Summer Games, athletes can receive a fluoride varnish application. To participate, a guardian must sign the attached Fluoride Varnish Permission Form. SOWI will offer Special Smiles at the Indoor Sports Tournament (IST), SG and the State Outdoor Sport Tournament (OST) in 2016!
- Opening Eyes®, sponsored by Lions Club International, preforms vision evaluations and dispenses glasses to those athletes who are in need of a new pair. For athletes that do not need prescription glasses, they receive a pair of free designer sun glasses. Athletes who participate in a contact sport and do not have a prescription can still receive non prescription sport goggles to protect their eyes during training and competition! In 2015, the Opening Eyes venue at Summer Games performed 349 eye exams and dispensed 380 prescription glasses and sport goggles to SOWI athletes! Take advantage of this opportunity, SG is the last time Opening Eyes will be offered in 2016 (also offered at IST in April)!
- The Health Promotion venue includes health screenings to measure Body Mass Index (BMI), Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and Blood Pressure. This fun and colorful environment will feature interactive, educational and motivational activities to encourage the athletes to improve their nutrition, keep physically active and modify their daily habits to help reduce their risk for disease. Volunteers will educate athletes on the importance of good eating for healthy bodies and strong bones. They will also discuss physical fitness and smoking prevention. Stop by and receive fun giveaways for the athletes! SOWI will offer Health Promotions at SG and the State Outdoor Sports Tournament in 2016!
- Healthy Hearing conducts hearing screenings. Reduced hearing can have a significant negative impact on an athlete’s ability to respond to directions in training, as well as understand other verbal information from coaches. The safety of the athlete also can be impeded by hearing loss, as can the athlete’s interpersonal relationships. Hearing screenings are the first step in the process of identifying an athlete’s hearing loss and preventing its negative effects from occurring in sporting and social events. This is the last time that Healthy Hearing will be offered in 2016 (also offered at IST in April)!
We invite all athletes with a current medical on file with SOWI to the screenings, even if they are not competing at SG. To participate come to the Healthy Athletes venue during the times listed below. Please share this information with your athlete’s families/caregivers. Bring athletes regardless of perceived need. Volunteers love to meet, interact and educate athletes on healthy habits! More than 100 professional/medical volunteers will be waiting to see you in Stevens Point!
Friday screenings in the Health Enhancement Center (HEC) from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.:
Health Promotions will be in room #154 (off the balcony of Quandt Gym)
Opening Eyes will be in room #146 (off the balcony of Quandt Gym)
Special Smiles will be in room #119 on the second floor of the HEC
Saturday screening 8:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.:
Healthy Hearing will be located in the Professional Studies building across the street from the Health Enhancement Center (building with a horse shoe shaped driveway in the front). Enter through the door on the left of the building as you look at the building. The Audiology Clinic is located inside the set of double doors.
Coaches or caregivers/family members can sign-up for a designated time to bring athletes through Opening Eyes. By signing up ahead of time your athlete/group will get preference over walk-ins. Note that you do not need to pre-register to attend the Opening Eyes; however, it may speed up the process. To pre register for an Opening Eyes time contact Melissa at (608) 442-5676 or mschoenbrodt@specialolympicswisconsin.org.
Thank you to Delta Dental of Wisconsin and the Lions Club International for making the Healthy Athletes Initiative possible!
