Special Olympics 50th Anniversary in 2018, Announces Chicago as Location for the Global Celebration Events

July 20, 2017  -- Today, at Chicago's Soldier Field, the location of the first-ever Special Olympics Games, it was announced that Chicago will host the Special Olympics movement's 50th Anniversary global celebration events July 17 – 22, 2018. Mary Davis, Special Olympics International CEO, and Justice Anne Burke, who founded Special Olympics Chicago, announced the news along with other organizers of the upcoming events.

Special Olympics International, Special Olympics Illinois and Special Children's Charities have united to host nearly a week of exciting events to celebrate the past 50 years of Special Olympics and to launch the movement into the future.

YouTube published by Special Olympics

"The 50th Anniversary will be a pivotal moment for Special Olympics, as we aim to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities and as the leaders of inclusion through sport," shared Mary Davis. "We have spent the past 50 years breaking down barriers for our athletes and creating opportunities through sport, but we still have much more work to do. For our 50th Anniversary, we are inviting all to join us as we shape a more accepting and inclusive future."

"The torch that was lit here at Soldier Field 49 years ago today ignited a fire that will never die as long as we continue to celebrate the bravery of inspirational individuals - like Kevin O'Brien, Michael Cusack and others - who competed in 1968 and became examples, inspiring future Special Olympics athletes, here and around the world, to find the courage to enter the competition," added Justice Burke.

Events planned for July 2018 in Chicago include the first-ever Special Olympics Unified Football (Soccer) Cup, a tournament of 24 men's and women's teams comprised of people with and without intellectual disabilities from countries around the globe.

Also planned is a star-studded concert, establishment of a Special Olympics Eternal Flame of Hope monument to symbolize the ongoing drive towards creating inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities, and a Change the Game Day event where the public is welcome to play unified and join in fun athletic competition with Special Olympics athletes at Soldier Field.

Also revealed today was a traveling 50th Anniversary Museum which, throughout 2018, will traverse the State of Illinois, sharing the history of Special Olympics. The travelling museum will visit Special Olympics Illinois competitions along with high-profile state, county and municipal events, educating its public on the history of Special Olympics, its impact socially through sport, and invite people to come to Chicago in July 2018 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary. The community is welcome to donate items and memories to the museum.

Anyone interested in learning more can visit www.SpecialOlympics50.org

History of Special Olympics                                                                                                           

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

In the midst of all of the tumultuous unrest of 1968, an event was held at Soldier Field, in Chicago, Illinois on July 20. By its very nature, this was a revolutionary moment in time. The world witnessed for the first time a sports competition for people with intellectual disabilities from 26 states and Canada. It may come as a shock today to learn that many of the participants needed government pardons to leave the institutions in which they lived to travel to Chicago to compete. Eunice Kennedy Shriver led this community – who had been locked away and condemned to exist on the margins -- out of the shadows and into one of the largest stadiums in the U.S. It was their chance, their moment, to show the world what they could accomplish.

The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held at Soldier Field in Chicago, a joint venture between the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation and the Chicago Park District. The advisory committee to the Chicago Special Olympics included Dr. William Freeberg, Southern Illinois University; Dr. Frank J. Hayden, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation; Dr. Arthur Peavy; William McFetridge, Anne McGlone Burke and Stephen Kelly of the Chicago Park District; and Olympic decathlon champion Rafer Johnson. Eunice Kennedy Shriver was honorary chairman. Dr. Hayden was also executive director of the Games.

About Special Olympics                                                                                                                  
Special Olympics is a global organization, with over 5 million athletes in 170 countries around the world, that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sport, every day around the world. Through programming in sports, health, education and community building, Special Olympics is changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, solving the global injustice, isolation, intolerance and inactivity they face. Special Olympics Illinois provides opportunities for more than 22,500 of these athletes, more than 20,000 Young Athletes (ages 2 – 7 years old), 45,000 volunteers and thousands more people statewide through 18 Area programs in all 102 counties of the state. Special Children's Charities is the fundraising arm of Special Olympics in Chicago. In cooperation with the Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Schools and Special Olympics Illinois, Special Children's Charities is committed to providing year-round sports training, recreational and social programs for the children and adults of Special Olympics in Chicago.

SOURCE Special Olympics http://www.SpecialOlympics50.org

Special Olympics Chicago/Special Children's Charities Names Joseph Nagle, New Executive Director

Joseph Nagle of Chicago's Mount Greenwood neighborhood has been named executive director of Special Olympics Chicago/Special Children's Charities — the fundraising co-sponsor of Special Olympics Chicago since 1969.

Mr. Nagle has served on Special Olympics' board since 2013 and became the group's treasurer in 2015. He will replace Susan Nicholl, who served as executive director for the past 11 years.

Mr. Nagle will be responsible for all fundraising efforts and securing corporate sponsorships to support programs and events. He will also be responsible for continuing to increase the awareness of the organization to the public, as well as recruiting new athletes.

Mr. Nagle, a graduate of University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, previously served as senior vice president at JLL. There, he was responsible for managing corporate real estate portfolios for companies throughout the United States, Canada, India and Philippines.

Special Olympics was founded in Chicago at Soldier Field in 1968. The Chicago chapter is the largest in the state of Illinois with more than 7,500 athletes.

source: press release

ESPY'S To Honor Special Olympics Founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver

 ESPN announced it will honor Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. This is the fifth time in the ceremony’s 24-year history that the award, dedicated “to individuals whose contributions transcend sports,” will be awarded posthumously.

Article by Marissa Payne, for The Washington Post | June 6, 2017                                                        ESPN announced it will honor Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. This is the fifth time in the ceremony’s 24-year history that the award, dedicated “to individuals whose contributions transcend sports,” will be awarded posthumously.

“Eunice Kennedy Shriver dedicated her life to championing the rights and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities,” the network said in a statement on Tuesday. “Her legacy lives on through Special Olympics, the global movement she founded in 1968 that harnesses the transformative power of sports to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities to become accepted and celebrated members of society.”

Shriver’s son Timothy, who serves as the chairman of the Special Olympics, will attend the ceremony to accept the award on his mother’s behalf.

“My mother … was a visionary, but, more importantly, a revolutionary,” Timothy Shriver said in a statement. “Fueled by love and anger, she used sport to break down the barriers, she used fields of play to bring people together, and she opened the doors of inclusion and equality to the most marginalized on earth. It is now up to all of us to follow the athletes of Special Olympics who can teach us all to accept and include each other.”

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who died in 2009, grew up with eight siblings, including former president John F. Kennedy and former Sens. Ted and Robert Kennedy. It was her sister, Rosemary — who was born with intellectual disabilities made worse by a failed lobotomy — who inspired Shriver’s life work.

“Rosemary’s talents and gifts made Shriver acutely aware of all that people with intellectual disabilities have to offer, but she recognized early on that there were limited programs and options for people like her sister,” ESPN stated.

The two often bonded over sports, which eventually inspired Shriver to create what started as a summer day camp in 1962 and eventually evolved into the Special Olympics six years later. Today, roughly 5.3 million athletes from more than 170 countries take part in the more than 108,000 Special Olympics events.

Besides her son Timothy, Shriver’s daughter Maria and former son-in-law Arnold Schwarzenegger are also heavily involved with the Special Olympics.

“The effort that Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her family have been displaying for these past five decades is truly remarkable,” ESPYS executive producer Maura Mandt said in a statement. “We are honored to celebrate Eunice’s work and the bravery of the athletes of Special Olympics, whose efforts and performances are as inspiring as any of those we celebrate on this show. It’s stories like this one that show what the The ESPYS are really about.”

Last year, ESPN used the award to posthumously honor 15-year-old high school football player Zaevion Dobson, who used his body as a shield to save two younger girls from a random drive-by shooting.

Before that ESPN awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award posthumously to Ed Thomas in 2010, a year after he was shot and killed in the team’s locker room by a former player; Pat Tillman in 2003 after the former NFL player was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan; Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick in 2002, after the former athletes died trying to fight off terrorist attackers on Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001; and William David Sanders in 2000 after the teacher and high school coach was shot while helping students flee an onslaught of gunfire during the mass shooting at Columbine High School in 1999.

The ESPYs, which will be hosted by Peyton Manning, air July 12 on ABC.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/06/06/espys-to-honor-special-olympics-founder-eunice-kennedy-shriver-with-posthumous-courage-award/?utm_term=.3fd81f37e39e

Special Olympics World Games Opening Ceremonies in Austria 2017

March, 18, 2017 - As the “Flame of Hope” was lit in the Planai Stadium in Schladming, Austria tonight, more than 2,600 athletes from 105 nations took the Special Olympics oath promising;

“Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

The dramatic culmination marked the opening of the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria, the largest sporting event in the world in 2017.

The star-studded opening ceremonies produced by Kuner Television, was broadcast live on ABC/ESPN around the world to 190 countries and via local Austrian broadcaster ORF and featured performances by pop-folk-songsmith Jason Mraz and 13-year-old winner of America’s Got Talent Grace VanderWall, as well as European megastar Helene Fischer.

Highlights of the Opening Ceremony included the Parade of Athletes, a unified choir, the final leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run staged by a team of 105 skiers, and remarks by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, and Special Olympics Chairman Dr. Timothy Shriver. “It is my hope that after the Special Olympics World Winter Games, the spotlight does not dim, but continues to shine for those with intellectual disabilities, with you serving as a role model in your home countries,” said Austrian President Van der Bellen.

The ceremony also featured Maria Naber, a dancer with intellectual disabilities who performed a theatrical interpretation, dancing with Dundu dolls (magical light creatures), cheeky Glöckner (bell ringers) and jesters, traditional musicians and the wild Perchten (evil spirits).

The Parade of Athletes featured numerous original musical creations. Singer Rose May Alaba performed the Coca-Cola Unified song while the 105 delegations entered the stadium. The delegations were accompanied by prominent supporters including Dr. Timothy Shriver (Chairman Special Olympics International), Mary Davis (CEO Special Olympics International), Special Olympics International Board Members including ice-skating legend Michelle Kwan, gold medalists NBA legend Sam Perkins and Olympic swimmer Donna De Varona, Vice Chairman Angelo Moratti, Princess Charlene of Monaco, singer/songwriter Jason Mraz, Princess Nora of Liechtenstein, Archduke Guillaume of Luxembourg, Minister Hans Peter Doskozil, Minister Wolfgang Sobotka, Governor of Styria Hermann Schützenhöfer, president of the BSO (Austrian Sports Organisation) Rudolf Hundstorfer, Klaus Eberhartinger (Entertainer), Fritz Kristoferitsch (Bandleader Edlseer), Heather Mills, the Austrian skiers Conny Hütter and Christian Walder, former skiers Peter Wirnsberger, Reinfried Herbst, Marco Büchel, Emese Hunyady and Harry Winkler, president of the Austrian Soccer “Bundesliga” Hans Rinner and many more.

Following the Parade of Athletes, a tribute video for the late president of Special Olympics Austria, Hermann Kröll, highlighted his long-term commitment to Special Olympics and globalization of the movement. Kröll was instrumental in bringing the Special Olympics World Winter Games to Austria twice and was a constant champion to improving the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Dr. Timothy Shriver remembered Hermann Kröll saying, “There was the heartbeat of Special Olympics Austria and Styria and it was Hermann Kröll and we still hold Hermann Kröll as the heartbeat tonight.” He added, “Every Special Olympics athlete has a story to tell, of grit, determination and overcoming obstacles. There will be those who say exclude. There will be those who say our athletes don’t deserve a chance. Athletes, you know better.”

Following the lighting of the cauldron, the ceremony concluded with fireworks and performances by European megastar Helene Fischer and, two-time Grammy winner Jason Mraz accompanied by America´s Got Talent winner Grace VanderWaal performing “I´m yours” and “I won´t give up” together with VanderWaal.

For photos from the Opening Ceremony, please visit:

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sowwg2017/albums

            https://www.flickr.com/photos/soi-photo-stream/albums

2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games promo video

YouTube published by Special Olympics

Sources: Special Olympics World Games 2017

Chicago 2016 Polar Plunge for Special Olympics a Big Splash with Lady Gaga, Taylor Kinney, Al Roker and 6000 others!

March 6th, 2016 -- The 2016 Chicago Polar Plunge for Special Olympics again was a 'splash' for all. Nearly 6,000 plungers waded into the icy waters at North Avenue Beach at 10 a.m. to raise money for Special Olympics, including musician Lady Gaga, "Chicago Fire" star Taylor Kinney and NBC Today's Al Roker, Tamron Hall and Dylan Dreyer. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel greeted all.

So far, Chicago's 2016 Polar Plungers has raised $1.37 million, just shy of their $1.5 million goal — you can donate until the end of March - click here.

For Special Olympics -click here

For a second year in a row, Lady Gaga and her fiancé Taylor Kinney took an icy dip in Lake Michigan as part of the annual Chicago Polar

YouTube published by Little Monsters Official on Mar 6, 2016
# # #

in cooperation with Main Events Special for sharing Ability Chicago Info blog post.
We would like to share a comprehensive article on Lady Gaga Joanne World Tour 2017 (with updated tour schedule, facts & list of her albums and tours).

https://maineventspecials.com/lady-gaga-tour-dates/

Illinois Lottery Launches For 2016 A New Special Olympics Game

The Illinois Lottery, along with Special Olympics Illinois and Special Children’s Charities, unveils the newest version of The Special Olympics Ticket - a unique lottery instant game to benefit Special Olympics sports training programs across Illinois. The first-in-the-nation Special Olympics Ticket costs $3 and is expected to raise about $1 million to benefit programs that serve over 40,000 Special Olympics athletes in Illinois. 

About Illinois Lottery

Founded in 1974, the Illinois Lottery has contributed over $18 billion (since 1985) to the state’s Common School Fund to assist K-12 public schools, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars to the Capital Projects Fund and to special causes like Illinois Veterans services, the fight against breast cancer, MS research, Special Olympics and assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS. In addition to playing in-store, the Illinois Lottery offers online and mobile play for all draw-based Illinois Lottery games at illinoislottery.com. Players must be at least 18 years old.

Special Olympics Illinois 2016 Chicago Super Plunge - Feb 19 to Feb 20

Think You Have What it Takes to SUPER Plunge?

Over a 24-hour period, our truly elite Plungers will take 24 icy dips (once an hour, every hour) into Lake Michigan as part of the SUPER Plunge to benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. All SUPER Plungers and their sidekick/support person will live in a heated tent on the beach during this fun, round-the-clock event. 2016 also marks the 11th year for this extreme plunging event! 

Anyone who is ready to “be bold and get cold” can be a SUPER Plunger! Past participants include students, law enforcement officers, firefighters, teachers and various business professionals. Each SUPER Plunger is asked to raise a minimum of $2,500 to participate in this extreme event.

The Polar Plunge, presented by Law Enforcement Torch Run and GEICO, is a unique opportunity to support Special Olympics athletes by taking a flying leap – a leap into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan.

For additional information, & registration - visit the main plunge site at http://www.soill.org/polar-plunge/

# information in this post is from Special Olympics Illinois website.

Event Details

Where	Lake Michigan - Clark Street Beach Evanston, IL
Starts	02/19/2016 @ 2:00 pm
Ends	02/20/2016 @ 1:00 pm
Check-in Time	12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Registration Cutoff	02/18/2016 11:00 pm
Donation Cutoff	04/29/2016 11:00 pm
Contact	Sandy Nash
Phone	618-654-6680
Email Address	snash@soill.org

Special Olympics Illinois 2015 Rubber Ducks Race Day, 60,000 Ducks Will Splash into the Chicago River August 6

Ducks still available for adoption - 1st Prize is a Brand New 2015 Chevy Trax

CHICAGO, August 3, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 60,000 rubber duckies will drop off the Columbus Bridge into the Chicago River on August 6, 2015 at 1 p.m.!  The 10th Annual Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby to benefit Special Olympics Illinois enthralls people of all ages who watch the ducks "race" to the finish line. This year Special Olympics Illinois celebrates a decade of ducks. Join the conversation using #ChiDuckyDerby on social media.

Ducks are still available for adoption for $5.00 online until August 6 at www.chicagoduckrace.com. Ducks can also be adopted on race day, August 6, beginning at 7 a.m. at Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River. The Family Festival begins at 10 a.m. in front of the Wrigley Building and features carnival games and prizes, face painting and visits with many of Chicago's sports team mascots as well as the Ducky Derby mascot Splash. Many Special Olympics Illinois athletes are on hand to greet visitors. First prize is a Brand New 2015 Chevy Trax.

Special Olympics Illinois athlete, Global Messenger and Ducky Derby Ambassador Nick will be at the finish line boat to hold up the winning duck whose adopter will win the Trax, courtesy of the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Chevy Dealers. Other prizes include an all-inclusive Apple Vacation to Cancun, Mexico, a NASCAR package, and a Rosemont Getaway Package for two.

The success of the annual Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby depends on the dozens of sales teams – both corporate teams and independent groups – who devote the summer to selling duck adoptions and spreading the word about the benefits of Special Olympics.

Special Olympics Illinois is a not-for-profit organization offering year-round training and competition in 19 sports for nearly 22,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities and nearly 21,000 Young Athletes ages 2-7 with and without intellectual disabilities. If you are interested in learning more about Special Olympics Illinois, volunteering or providing financial support to help make Special Olympics programs possible, contact your local Special Olympics agency, call 800-394-0562 or visit www.soill.org.

On race day all media contacts should check-in at media table. Contact: Corinne Zollars 847-309-6125 or czollars@soill.org; Alexandra McMillin 312-502-7954 or amcmillin@soill.org.

SOURCE Special Olympics Illinois

The History of Special Olympics

From a backyard summer camp for people with intellectual disabilities to a global movement, Special Olympics has been changing lives and attitudes for more than 43 years.

[photo:First Steps. Eunice Kennedy Shriver guided children with intellectual disabilities into sports at her Camp Shriver events, which were the predecessor to Special Olympics]

June 1963
Eunice Kennedy Shriver starts a summer day camp for young people with intellectual disabilities at her home in Maryland to explore their capabilities in a variety of sports and physical activities. See a slideshow about the camp

19-20 July 1968
The 1st International Special Olympics Summer Games are held at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, USA. 1,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities from 26 U.S. states and Canada compete in track and field and swimming. See a slideshow about the first Games

December 1971
The U.S. Olympic Committee gives Special Olympics official approval as one of only two organizations authorized to use the name “Olympics” in the United States.

5-11 February 1977
Steamboat Springs, Colorado, hosts the 1st International Special Olympics Winter Games with more than 500 athletes competing in skiing and skating events. CBS, ABC and NBC television networks cover the Games. See a slideshow about Special Olympics World Games

June 1981
The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics is launched in Wichita, Kansas (USA), where Police Chief Richard LaMunyon saw an urgent need to increase awareness of Special Olympics. The Torch Run is now the movement's largest grassroots fundraiser, raising $30 million annually.

September 1986
The United Nations in New York City launches the International Year of Special Olympics under the banner “Special Olympics—Uniting the World.”

October 1987
“A Very Special Christmas,” a benefit album featuring holiday music by top rock & roll performers, is released worldwide. Produced by Jimmy and Vicki Iovine of A&M Records and Bobby Shriver, all proceeds benefit Special Olympics. More than 2 million records, compact discs and cassette tapes are sold.

February 1988
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) signs a historic agreement with Sargent and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, in which the IOC officially endorses and recognizes Special Olympics.

July 1988
Special Olympics Unified Sports® is launched at the annual Special Olympics Conference in Reno, Nevada, and Lake Tahoe, California. Bowling, volleyball and softball are the first sports to be included.

20-27 March 1993
The 5th Special Olympics World Winter Games are hosted in the beautiful Austrian cities of Salzburg and Schladming. These are the first World Winter Games held outside North America. See a slideshow about Special Olympics World Games

1-9 July 1995
A number of new initiatives make their debut at the 9th Special Olympics World Summer Games, including the Host Town Program, Healthy Athletes® and Research and Policy Symposia, and, for the first time, people with intellectual disabilities serve as certified officials.

January 1997
Healthy Athletes becomes an official Special Olympics initiative, providing health-care services to Special Olympics athletes worldwide. The program includes free vision, hearing and dental screening, injury prevention clinics and nutrition education. Learn about Healthy Athletes

20 July 1998
Special Olympics celebrates its 30th anniversary with the introduction of 12 30th Anniversary Special Olympics Sargent Shriver International Global Messengers who travel the world as spokespeople for the movement for the next two years.

17 December 1998
U.S. President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton host “A Very Special Christmas from Washington D.C.”—marking the first time that the White House hosts a Special Olympics gala and the first time that artists from “A Very Special Christmas” album series gather together to perform. In 2000, President and Mrs. Clinton host “A very Special Christmas” for the second time. About the Christmas records

2000
The “Campaign for Special Olympics” sets unprecedented goals to increase athlete participation by 1 million and to raise more than $120 million over the course of the next five years, changing the face of the movement.

18-22 May 2000
As part of the “Campaign for Special Olympics,” Arnold Schwarzenegger joins Special Olympics athletes to light the “Flame of Hope” at the Great Wall of China and launch the Special Olympics China Millennium March, kicking off the most ambitious growth campaign in the movement’s history. China pledges to increase its current number of athletes from 50,000 to 500,000 by 2005.

12-14 July 2001
Cape Town, Johannesburg and Sun City South Africa, host Special Olympics African Hope. Former President Nelson Mandela, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Special Olympics athletes gather to light the “Flame of Hope” and kick off the largest Law Enforcement Torch Run through the streets of Cape Town. The event generates awareness of the movement throughout the continent and marks the launch of a major growth initiative to reach 100,000 new athletes in Africa by 2005.

October 2001
Special Olympics develops and distributes SO Get Into It™ kits for students with and without disabilities to schools and teachers worldwide at no cost. The kit teaches young people about intellectual disabilities while empowering them to “be the difference” by learning values of inclusion, acceptance and respect.

19-20 July 2002
The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund partners with Special Olympics to host an annual birthday celebration for its founder and chairperson, former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, and helps Special Olympics launch its Unified Sports® program.

21-29 June 2003
Ireland hosts the first Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held outside the United States. 5,500 athletes participate in this landmark event. It is the largest sporting event in 2003, capturing the hearts and imaginations of the Irish people. See a slideshow about Special Olympics World Games

20 June 2003
“The Multinational Study of Attitudes toward Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities” reports on how people across the world view the roles and capabilities of persons with intellectual disabilities in the workplace, classroom and daily social life. The study is the most comprehensive ever conducted on this subject.

30 October 2004
U.S. President George W. Bush signs the “Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act, “ which appropriates $15 million per year over five years to fund the growth of Special Olympics and support initiatives that foster greater respect and understanding for people with intellectual disabilities. The signing marks the first time that Special Olympics secures support through legislation.

23 December 2005
"The Ringer," a Farrelly Brothers film starring Johnny Knoxville, opens in theaters throughout Canada and the United States. The film includes appearances from more than 150 athletes. Its producers collaborate with Special Olympics to challenge destructive stereotypes and negative thinking about people with intellectual disabilities.

2006
Special Olympics surpasses its goal of doubling the number of athletes that participate worldwide to 2.5 million participants. With sports at the core, the movement stands as a leader in advancing rights and opportunities and policy change for its athletes in 165 countries worldwide.

10 June 2006
President and Mrs. George W. Bush host a tribute dinner at the White House to honor Special Olympics for its unprecedented growth over the past five years on the birthday of founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

October 2007
The city of Shanghai, China, hosts the 12th Special Olympics World Summer Games, which are broadcast internationally on an unprecedented scale. These Games, with more than 7,500 athletes from 164 countries participating, are a historic moment in the movement’s history. See a slideshow about Special Olympics World Games

July 2008
Special Olympics celebrates its 40th anniversary as a true global movement, with almost 3 million athletes in more than 180 countries around the world.

February 2009
The Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho, USA, draws nearly 2,000 athletes from close to 100 countries . U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited and declared special needs advocacy "a civil rights movement." See stories from the 2009 Games

May 2009
The U.S. National Portrait Gallery unveils a historic portrait of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of Special Olympics. This historic painting is the first portrait the Gallery has ever commissioned of an individual who has not served as a U.S. President or First Lady.

11 August 2009
The founder of Special Olympics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, dies at her family home in Massachusetts. Letters and messages celebrating her contribution to humanity poured in from world leaders and ordinary people around the world. See www.eunicekennedyshriver.org

November 2009
"A Very Special Christmas 7" is released, infusing the Christmas record series with the energy and talent of a new generation of music stars.

June 2010
The first Special Olympics Global Congress is held in Marrakech, Morocco, bringing together hundreds of movement leaders from countries around the world to chart the next five years of work. See a slideshow about the Congress

September 2010
The first Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day is more than 100 countries to celebrate the vision of the founder of Special Olympics and to accelerate the momentum of the Special Olympics movement. See photos from the day.

October 2010
Officials announce that the next Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held in PyeongChang, Korea, on 26 Jan.-6 Feb., 2013.

January 2011
The Special Olympics Movement mourns the death of Sargent Shriver, husband of late founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver and longtime Special Olympics President and Chairman of the Board Emeritus.

June 2011
The 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games are held in Athens, Greece. Nearly 7,000 athletes from 170 countries take part.

# For more info for Special Olympics, visit: http://www.specialolympics.org/
* originally posted Aug. 2011

Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois in June 2015

Written by Greg Sapp | June 8, 2015

As of Sunday, law enforcement officers across Illinois have taken to the streets, highways and roads of the state, carrying the torch (“Flame of Hope”) to help raise funds for their hometown sports heroes – the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. About 3,000 officers representing every branch of law enforcement will cover the 23 legs of the Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run®. (Download Torch Run Route Map & Kickoff Events at  http://www.soill.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015LETRLegRoutesMapKickoffEvents.pdf.

The Torch Run is the single largest year-round fundraising vehicle benefiting Special Olympics Illinois. The annual intrastate relay and its various fundraising projects have two goals: to raise money and to gain awareness for the athletes who participate in Special Olympics Illinois. Each year, officers in Illinois run more than 1,500 miles carrying the “Flame of Hope” through the streets of their hometowns and deliver it to the State Summer Games in Normal in June.

On Friday, June 12, legs of the run from all over the state will converge on Normal. That evening at dusk, in a dramatic moment during Opening Ceremonies of the Special Olympics Illinois State Summer Games, officers from every leg of the Torch Run will enter Illinois State University’s Hancock Stadium with torches lit and hand off the “Flame of Hope” to Special Olympics athletes. When the cauldron is lit and the games declared open, more than 4,000 athletes will continue three days of competition and celebration.

When it began in 1986, the Law Enforcement Torch Run® raised $14,000 in Illinois. It has since grown into the largest fundraising vehicle for Special Olympics Illinois, raising nearly $31 million since 1986. The Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run® raised more than $3.8 million in 2014, making it one of the top grossing programs in the world.

Perhaps one of the most motivating factors for law enforcement officers is the knowledge that their efforts will benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. “We are involved in the Torch Run because it’s such a genuine project,” says Eric Smith, Director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run® and Chief of the Sherman Police Department. “We’re helping Special Olympics athletes truly experience sports and competition and, in turn, transforming their lives.”

Presenting Sponsors are Dunkin’ Donuts and Shop ’n Save; Gold Medal Sponsors are Illinois Knights of Columbus and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois; Silver Medal Sponsors are Chicago Blackhawks and Texas Roadhouse; and Bronze Medal Sponsors are Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, Kane County Chiefs of Police Association, CARQUEST, Coca-Cola, Morreale Meat and US Foods.

“Thanks to the Law Enforcement Torch Run® and its corporate sponsors, Special Olympics Illinois is better able to reach more athletes and offer them more year-round training and competition opportunities. Special Olympics Illinois athletes are able to participate in the program free of charge thanks to sponsors like the Law Enforcement Torch Run®,” says Dave Breen, Special Olympics Illinois President and CEO.

In addition to receiving donations that support their run, officers raise funds in various ways throughout the year, including Polar Plunges, a Cop on Rooftop event with Dunkin’ Donuts, Plane Pull at O’Hare International Airport, Truck Convoy, raffles, bike rides, golf tournaments, and more.

To get involved in Law Enforcement Torch Run® activities in your area, call Matt Johnson at Special Olympics Illinois (1-800-394-0562), email him at  mjohnson@soill.org or contact your local law enforcement agency.

Special Olympics Illinois is a not-for-profit organization offering year-round training and competition in 19 sports for nearly 22,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities and more than 21,000 Young Athletes ages 2-7 with and without intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics tranforms lives by empowering people with intellectual disabilities to realize their full potential in sports and in life. Special Olympics programs enhance physical fitness, motor skills, self-confidence, social skills and encourage family and community support.  If you are interested in learning more about Special Olympics Illinois, volunteering or providing financial support to help make Special Olympics programs possible, contact your local Special Olympics agency, call 800-394-0562 or visit www.soill.org.

Illinois Miss Amazing 2015 Lea Schultz travels to National's at L.A. World Special Olympics in July

as published by The Herald-News | June 7, 2015
PLAINFIELD, IL. – Twenty-one year old Plainfield resident, Lea Schultz, will be representing Illinois as Junior Miss Amazing in the National Miss Amazing event to be held in Los Angeles alongside the World Special Olympics in July.

Schultz was awarded her title at the Illinois Miss Amazing Event April 25 in Naperville. The yearly event is open to girls and women with disabilities ages five and older.

Shultz showcased her talents as a singer by performing “Landslide” originally by Fleetwood Mac and re-released by the Dixie Chicks.

In her spare time, Schultz volunteers at Easter Seals and with the Plainfield Park District honing her office skills and completing computer projects. She is also a member of the Plainfield Aktion Club, sponsored by Plainfield Kiwanis.

Schultz has just completed her final semester of the PSTEP program at Plainfield Academy and has started job hunting.

Six queens were crowned from Illinois and will advance to the National Miss Amazing event in July. 

Visit www.missamazingpageant.com for more information.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2015/06/04/plainfield-resident-representing-illinois-in-national-miss-amazing/avgao99/

Jake McManus represents Illinois in the Special Olympics 2015 World Games

Jake McManus and Harry: photo

Fox32 Chicago | June 1, 2015
Harry is more than a horse to Jake McManus. The 19-year-old from Barrington Hills will represent Illinois in the Special Olympics World Games next month. It's a once in a lifetime achievement, and a journey that began several years ago when Jake met Harry.

"The power and connection they have together is nothing like we have ever seen," said Staci McManus.

It's a connection that blossomed more than a decade ago, when a shy and quiet Jake first laid eyes on Harry and noticed something interesting about the horses face.

"The white on his head down to his nose," Jake said.

From that moment on, the boy and his horse became inseparable.

Jake would help Harry in the stable, and Harry would help Jake grow from that timid little boy into a talented and graceful rider.

"When Jake started riding, he barley spoke," Staci said. "Harry has propelled him forward and created opportunities and vocational path for him."

Jake's future is bright, but it hasn't been an easy ride. It's consisted of countless hours of intense practice, and like two old friends, sometimes there is frustration.

"He can be a little wily," Jake said. "He cantors around the arena,"

Next month, that arena is going to get much larger for Jake.

One of the best riders in Illinois, Jake will be commanding a horse in three events at the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.

However, Jake is a little nervous

"All the chills running down my spine," he said.

And he's excited to see a new city.

"It's the home of the future famous. Rock stars, musicians," Jake added.

Now, Jake will have his chance to be a rock-star in LA. But unfortunately, his best bud Harry can't make the trip.

"He is a little bummed," Staci said. "he is looking forward to the challenge of riding new horses."

Jake will bring it all - confidence, talent and determination - when he competes at the world games.

"He started riding and competing for Special Olympics as a 9-year-old. It's been a decade for him proving himself and competing at an international level for the first time," Staci said.

FOX 32 wishes Jake the very best when he competes at the Special Olympics World Games. The competition begins July 25th in Los Angeles.

FOR VIDEO SEGMENT: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/29213039/chicago-stories-jake-mcmanus

Chicago's Special Olympics ceremony kicks off 2015 spring games

Students from McGuane Park march Monday at the opening ceremony for Special Olympics at Soldier Field. At right is Ald.-elect Patrick Thompson. | Brian Jackson/For the SunTimes

article by Maudlyne Ihejirika, Chicago Sun Times | April 4, 2015

Chicago -- Special Olympics team members — 60-deep and proudly holding aloft their yellow banner with the logo of their agency, Envision Unlimited.

The 24-year-old was among more than 3,500 athletes celebrating the opening ceremonies of Special Olympics Chicago’s Spring Games, a week of track and field competitions to run Tuesday through Friday at Eckersall Stadium on the city’s Southeast Side.

“It’s real fun. I like the marching and the parade. I’m ready to win a gold medal,” said the 24-year-old, who attends a day program at Envision’s Frick Center and lives in one of its residences serving people with disabilities.

The 47th Anniversary Spring Games kicked off with the lighting of the Olympic torch, carried in by Chicago Police and Cook County Sheriff’s officers, along with members of the team from the Misericordia agency — this year’s recipients of the Keith Magnuson Spirit Award — given to an individual or agency representing joyful celebration and sportsmanship.

They were cheered on by a record 15,000 supporters who filled the stands after a two-week Social Media #FillTheField campaign. The athletes were welcomed by the Special Olympics Drum Line Band from the Ray Graham Training Center, members of the Knights of Columbus, and the event’s honorary coach, Chicago White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija.

“It’s a privilege as an athlete to be invited by my fellow athletes. Wishing all the athletes a great week of competition and good luck!” Samardzija said, noting he had been touched by the special athletes’ pervasive joy in a video of past games. “As a professional athlete, it’s a good reminder to remember just how fun sports are, and how it brings people together.”

White Sox Charities provides a grant that pays for the athletes’ uniforms.

Casey Hogan, president of the Special Children’s Charities/Special Olympics Chicago, was just happy it didn’t rain on the open-air ceremony at Soldier Field, where Special Olympics was born on July 20, 1968.

“It was a terrific day, especially because we were thinking it might have to be canceled, but Soldier Field is a magical place and skies did clear for us,” she said. “We’re really pleased with the attendance, which grew this year due to the hashtag campaign. The athletes work so hard year-round, and the Spring Games is a truly remarkable and inspiring morning celebrating athletes with disabilities.”

The Envision team, ranging in age from 23 to 74, chanted, “We’re on a mission! Envision!” They were “absolutely thrilled” about the upcoming games, said Donna Ennis, division director at the agency, and one of three dozen staff and family members accompanying and cheering them on.

Kane, a member of Envision’s Burners basketball team, which won the Special Olympics state championships last month at Illinois State University, said he’s ready for another victory.

“I have the basketball from when we won downstate, and my own trophy too,” he said. “I’m going to win again. Yup!”

Admission is free at the games at Eckersall, 2423 E. 82nd St., with more than 25 track and field events running from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/576392/special-olympics-ceremony-kicks-off-spring-games-chicagoAndrew Kane bounded onto the grass Monday at Soldier Field with his