Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) athlete, Daniel Janulewicz, 22, is like many young men his age. He’s a baseball junkie, a basketball fanatic, a team player, and doesn’t make medical appointments a priority.

On April 17, Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) families and their community members gathered to broaden their knowledge of health and wellness and learn more about the support SOWI provides to people with intellectual disabilities (ID) at a Family Health Forum in Sparta. For Matthew Fitzgibbons, a Army/Reserve, Master Sergeant, and Equal Opportunity Advisor, and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator for the Fort McCoy Garrison, the Family Health Forum was a great educational opportunity for his whole family.

Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) is pleased to announce that Independent Care Health Plan (iCare) recently signed on as a multi-regional partner for the Greater Milwaukee, Northeastern, and Southeastern Regions of the state. As a Regional Games Partner, iCare will align with an organization that shares its goal of empowering individuals in an underserved population and will be a part of all of our local competitions.

In September, it was announced that the Golisano Foundation gifted $12 million to Special Olympics Inc. to extend the scope and reach of health programing to our athletes. Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) is one of 14 Special Olympics Programs worldwide selected to implement Healthy Communities Demonstration Projects (Healthy Communities) to extend the impact, relevance, and sustainability of existing health programs. SOWI was chosen as a result of demonstrated success in Healthy Athletes® and routinely integrating health into operational, communications, and development plans. The goal of Healthy Communities is to reduce disparities in health status and increase access to community health resources.

More than 800 athletes and 300 coaches will converge in Wausau and Milwaukee to participate in bowling and volleyball competitions at the Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) State Fall Sports Tournament on Saturday, December 1, 2012.

While SOWI athletes are knocking back pins at Dales Weston Lanes in Wausau at the Northern Fall Sports Tournament, in the southern half of the state, volleyball players will be spiking balls at the Center Court Complex in Waukesha and bowlers will be striking down pins at the AMF Bowlero Lanes in Wauwautosa at the Southern Fall Sports Tournament.

Yesterday was　a remarkable day for the Special Olympics Movement, one that saw four of our accomplished athletes welcomed onstage at the opening of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) by Former President Clinton to help announce a transformational, $12 million gift to Special Olympics made by Tom Golisano – a longtime champion of the rights and abilities of people with intellectual differences.

After swallowing a crown on his front tooth, the song “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” carried a whole new meaning for 31-year-old Erik Heil, a Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) athlete from Wausau.

On a tight budget and without dental benefits, Erik spent nearly an entire year with a partial tooth.

“They said that he needed a …new tooth that would have cost $900. He simply couldn’t afford that,” said his mother, LuAnne who accompanied Erik to the Wisconsin Dental Association (WDA) and WDA Foundation Mission of Mercy event.

On Saturday, May 19th, families gathered in Oshkosh for the first ever Family Health Forum made possible by a grant from the Lions Club International. Throughout the day, speakers discussed topics about transitioning health care, nutrition and healthy relationships with participants. The impact on families that attended was positive as everyone was engaged throughout the day and took home great tips and resources.

The Wisconsin Dental Association and WDA Foundation have again teamed up with Special Olympics Wisconsin to identify 50 athletes who will receive needed oral health care at the fourth Mission of Mercy being held June 29 and 30 in Madison.

The Medical College of Wisconsin held a free sports physical day on Thursday, January 26 for Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) athletes from Milwaukee Public Schools. Twenty-seven athletes attended, 18 of which were brand new to Special Olympics.

Physical Day not only provided athletes with free check-ups, it also allowed 30 volunteer medical students, residents and physicians to gain invaluable experience with the special population.