Nearly 2,000 athletes will compete in aquatics, athletics (track & field), soccer and powerlifting at the 2013 Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) State Summer Games. The event officially kicks off on Thursday, June 6 at the new time of 6:00 p.m. with athletes and officers running in the Law Enforcement Torch Run® (LETR) parade.
The LETR parade will start at a new location this year, the corner of Prentice Street North and Northpoint Drive, and will end at the UW-Stevens Point Colman Track. At 6:30 p.m., officers, volunteers and supporters will high five the Parade of Athletes as they walk into UW-Stevens Point’s Colman Track. At 7:00 p.m., SOWI will kick off the Games with an Opening Ceremony, celebrating Special Olympics Wisconsin’s ability to reveal the champion in all of us. The Figureheads from Milwaukee will perform positive hip hop music at the Opening Ceremony.
Competitions will take place June 7-8, 2013. When not competing on Friday, athletes will enjoy entertainment at Victory Village including BINGO, the Central Wisconsin Country-Line Dancers, therapy dogs, karaoke and more! Any Special Olympics Wisconsin athlete who has a valid medical on file is welcome to participate in Healthy Athletes®–a program which offers free healthcare screenings—on June 7-8 at UWSP’s Health Enhancement Center, even if they are not registered to compete at the State Summer Games. On June 7, volunteer dentists and dental hygienists will offer dental screenings, fluoride varnish, mouth guards and oral health education at the Special Smiles® event presented by Delta Dental. Lions Club International sponsored Opening Eyes® will offer vision exams and provides prescription glasses and sport goggles for athletes in need. The Health Promotion area will offer education on nutrition, physical fitness, smoking cessation and other great health tips for athletes. This area will also host nurses, doctors and dietitians to take athletes’ blood pressure, bone mineral density, and determine body mass index. On June 8, Healthy Hearing volunteers will screen and educate athletes on proper audiological care.
Volunteers are still needed to assist with presenting awards, escorting athletes, and timing events. All volunteers receive a free T-shirt! For more information, call Angela Frizzo at (608) 442-5679 before June 4. To sign up the day of the event, go to the volunteer check-in room #027 of the Health Enhancement Center prior to preferred shift. All volunteers must bring a photo I.D. To stay up to date with weather alerts, text SOWISG to 51555 (standard text messaging rates apply).
SOWI is a statewide organization that unleashes the transformative power and joy of sports everyday around the world. Through work in sports, health, education, and community building, Special Olympics is addressing inactivity, injustice, intolerance, and social isolation by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities which leads to a more welcoming and inclusive society. With the support of coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics is able to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in 17 Olympic-type sports to nearly 10,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities. Thank you to Kwik Trip and the Law Enforcement Torch Run, the Mission Partners of SOWI, enabling the organization to hold more than 500 competitions annually throughout the state. Join our online community by following us on Twitter and Facebook! For more information, visit SpecialOlympicsWisconsin.org or call (800) 552-1324.
