Special Olympics Oregon News

Special Olympics Oregon. Charitable Tax Checkoff. Check it!

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:24:00 +0000

Getting a Tax Refund? CHECK IT! Special Olympics Oregon is on the list of Oregon charities in the shaded Charitable Checkoff Donations box on your state tax forms this year.

Your donation will help inspire greatness in people and communities across Oregon through the transformational power of participating in sports.

Check it for Special Olympics Oregon this year--and tell your friends and family to follow your lead!
www.soor.org/taxcheckoff

Special Olympics Oregon athlete Meagan Paxton honored at Oregon Sports Awards

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:20:00 +0000

See Meagan compete live on March 14 at Winter Regionals Basketball in Beaverton
PORTLAND, OR—Meagan Paxton, a 30-year-old Special Olympics Oregon athlete from Gladstone, has been selected as the 2010 recipient of the Lou Burge Special Olympics Athlete of the Year Award.
Paxton was honored along with other outstanding Oregon athletes like Brandon Roy, NFL first-round draft pick-to be Ndamukong Suh, University of Oregon Football coach Chip Kelly and wide array of the state’s best high school athletes recently at the Oregon Sports Awards at Nike World Headquarters.

Upon accepting her award from host Ahmad Rashad— who called presenting the Lou Burge Award his “favorite part of the show every year”— Paxton told the audience that her proudest moment as a Special Olympics athlete was competing in Nagano, Japan with Team USA in 2005. She gave a rousing speech that got a standing ovation and more than a few tears from the 850 people attendance

The Oregon Sports Awards, presented by The Portland Tribune, Comcast Sportsnet, and Nike, honor top athletes from Oregon at a reception and ceremony in the Tiger Woods Center at the Nike World Headquarters. Past Lou Burge awardees include Kevin Zwart, Jennifer Hill of Turner, Darrick Yarbrough of Bend, Amelia Abel of Eugene, Rebecca Taylor of Newberg, Jennifer Deras of Portland, Debra McDougald of Portland and John Paul Monroe of Powell Butte.

About Meagan Paxton
Meagan Paxton lives in Gladstone and has worked for United Western Grocers for the last 11 years. You can see her compete live in Winter Regionals Basketball on March 14 in Beaverton. She has participated in aquatics, basketball, cross-country skiing, cycling, gymnastics, soccer, softball and tennis in her storied 20-year association with the organization. She has competed as part of the Special Olympics Team USA in four World Games, is a Shriver Greatness Award winner and received Varsity letters as a student at Rex Putnam High School in track and swimming.

About the Lou Burge Award
The Lou Burge Award goes to the Special Olympics Oregon athlete who has inspired greatness in other athletes, volunteers and the community. Known as “Coach Lou,” Lou Burge touched countless lives through 19 years of service to Special Olympics. He coached track and field, roller skating, softball, basketball and bowling and was a Coach of the Year for Special Olympics Oregon.

Get the Persian Rug of Your Dreams for Less & Help Special Olympics Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:20:00 +0000

Calling all homeowners and potential Super Bowl widows-to-be in need of a high-quality Oriental rug for less than you ever thought possible -- February 4-7, 2010 is your time to act.

What's more, you can help yourself to a once-in-a-lifetime deal and help Special Olympics Oregon at the same time.

9 x 12-foot Persian rugs worth thousands of dollars selling for $350, or less.
Persian runners that ordinarily retail for $800 will sell for $85, or less.
Hundreds more incredible deals to be had.

Net proceeds will be donated to Special Olympics Oregon.

A friend of Special Olympics Oregon, Mr. James Opie, has graciously released a large collection of his Oriental rugs for a complete liquidation sale February 4-7 at the former Kitchen Kaboodle location on the second floor of the building at 535 SW 6th Avenue in downtown Portland.

Mr. Opie guarantees the satisfaction of every customer with a return policy and has also graciously agreed to offer a light buffet and wine at the evening events February 4 and 5.

Get more details on this event, including sale times and parking information, here.

Still Time To Pick up and Redeem Your "Coupons for a Cause" to Benefit Special Olympics Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:19:00 +0000

All of you on the hunt for post holiday deals....it's not too late to secure your copy of the December 27, 2009, Sunday Oregonian for this special insert with $88 of coupons from Proctor & Gamble. Get your back copy of the paper now by calling The Oregonian at 503.221.8242.

For every P&GbrandSAVER coupon redeemed between now and January 31, 2010, a 3-cent donation will be made to Special Olympics. The more you save, the bigger the impact you have to change a life today.

Thank you for your continued support and Happy New Year from Special Olympics Oregon.

Former Oregon QB Joey Harrington challenges Beavers to ‘Plunge’ in Support of Special Olympics Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:21:00 +0000

Harrington commits to Polar Plunge Oregon fundraising plunges in Portland & Eugene
Former Oregon Ducks star quarterback Joey Harrington always had a knack for staying cool under pressure. On January 30, 2010 in Portland, and on February 20, 2010 in Eugene, he’s going to be cooler than cool when he takes the plunge for Special Olympics Oregon.

And on the eve of the biggest Civil War game in the rivalry’s 115-year history, Harrington called on his fellow Ducks—friends, teammates, alumni and faculty—to take it to the Beavers off the field as well by creating Polar Plunge teams on behalf of the UofO, their graduating classes, fraternal organizations or whatever makes them proud, and then challenge their Beaver counterparts to do the same during one of five Polar Plunge fundraisers scheduled for 2010 throughout the state this winter.

That includes the same-day Plunge-Off in Eugene and Corvallis on February 20.

“In this rivalry, nobody loses,” Harrington said. “I do believe Duck fans will come out on top in terms of raising funds for Special Olympics Oregon through its Polar Plunge fundraisers, but if not, that’s one Beaver victory I could actually live with.

“Special Olympics Oregon is truly a wonderful organization doing amazing things for families and communities throughout Oregon,” he added. “I urge you to join me in supporting them in this event or in any way you can to help people with intellectual disabilities reach their full potential.”

Harrington joins fellow NFL and northwest star QB Drew Bledsoe (Washington State) as a plunger this year. Bledsoe, a Plunge veteran who lives in Bend, will Plunge that city’s event on February 26.

This year, Polar Plunge Oregon storms these five cities:

Portland – January 30
Medford – February 6
Eugene – February 20
Corvallis – February 20
Bend – February 26

Learn more now at www.plungeoregon.com.

Polar Plunge Oregon is brought to you by Law Enforcement Torch Run. The statewide sponsor for Polar Plunge Oregon is Fred Meyer. This event is possible through vital ongoing support from Lithia, Mattress World, Hooker Creek, Starbucks Coffee Company, OregonLive.com, Sysco, and Harry’s. Other supporters include North Coast Electric and Corvallis Police Officers’ Association. Polar Plunge Oregon media partners are: Portland: Willamette Week, KGW, 101 KUFO, 95.5 The Game, 750 KXL, Freedom 970, KINK 101.9, KUPL 98.7. Medford: Rock 106.3, KISS FM, KMED , The Mail Tribune and KOBI. Eugene and Corvallis: 106.3 KLOO and KOOL 99.1. Bend: The Bulletin, BendBroadband, KOHD and Rock 98.3

Get More Social with Special Olympics Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:33:00 +0000

It's time to chat...

Join the conversation.
Create one of your own.
Share Special Olympics Oregon news, notes and more with friends and family.

You can do all of this by following us on the official Special Olympics Oregon Twitter page or visit the just-launched Special Olympics Oregon Facebook page to become a fan. You'll receive athlete updates, fundraising and volunteer opportunities, interesting and inspiring stories showcasing abilities and more.

Get inspired and share what inspires you.

Oregon’s Best and Brightest Shine at The 2009 Governors’ Gold Awards

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:40:00 +0000

Ducks and Beavers and Blazers—and Governors—oh my!

The 2009 Governors’ Gold Awards presented by KeyBank were supercharged with excitement this year with sports stars, captains of industry, philanthropy and politics, and other Oregonians of great stature and enthusiasm all shoulder-to-shoulder in support of Special Olympics Oregon.

NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton, Blazer greats Maurice Lucas, Bobby Gross, Bill Schonely, Harry Glickman; U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, and a fitting tribute to Eunice Kennedy Shriver from her friend, Gert Boyle of Columbia Sportswear, made for a magical evening at the annual gala celebrating greatness in Oregonians.

The 7th Annual Governors' Gold Awards also welcomed a new addition to the event —
The Oregon Experience Auction — to add even a little more spice to this year’s festivities. The auction featured Oregon-based experiences throughout the state that were kindly donated by individuals and companies in Oregon who hold Special Olympics Oregon athletes close to their hearts.

Fueled by The Oregon Experience Auction, a Civil War Football Experience live auction package donated by Reser’s Fine Foods, and timely paddle raises from corporate and individual supporters to get the ball rolling, the event raised $130,000 for Special Olympic Oregon’s year-round and statewide sports programs.

This year’s event celebrated Oregon’s Sesquicentennial by honoring eight extraordinary Oregonians and Oregon companies spanning 133 years of service to our state. Awardees for 2009 were:
• Dave Frohnmayer
• The Standard
• Hoffman Construction Company
• Patricia C. “Patsy” Smullin
• Michael Nelson
• The 1977 Portland Trail Blazers NBA Championship Team
• Powell’s Books
• LAIKA, Inc.

In addition, Governor Victor Atiyeh was honored by his fellow governors, Barbara Roberts, John Kitzhaber and Ted Kulongoski, with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Shining stars of the night also included the 12 athletes, 4 coaches and 2 Law Enforcement Torch Runners from the Oregon delegation of the U.S.A. Team that represented the state at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho. They helped register guests, greet governors and show the audience throughout the night that Special Olympics Oregon and its athletes are focused on abilities.

Other Highlights included:

• The University of Oregon Fighting Duck and Oregon State’s Bennie the Beaver put rivalry aside for the night and fired up the crowd during Mr. Reser’s Civil War Rivalry live auction package
• U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon made a surprise visit to the podium to speak of the mission of Special Olympics Oregon and called upon all in attendance to join him in supporting the organization and its spirit of inclusion for people of all ages and abilities.

• Bill Walton greeted all comers during the auction and during the night with a smile, kind words, hand shakes and hundreds of personalized photo opps before he took the mike—speaking from his heart about his desire to regrow his Oregon roots and help Special Olympics Oregon and other organizations succeed.

Special thanks for a wonderful evening goes out to The 2009 Governors Gold Awards Sponsors:

KeyBank

The Standard

Aequitas Capital Management

R.B. Pamplin Corporation

Fred Meyer

Nike, Inc.

D.A. Davidson Company

The Portland Business Journal

Les Schwab Tire Centers

Founded in 1972, Special Olympics Oregon serves individuals statewide with intellectual disabilities – the largest disability population in the state that impacts one-in-five Oregon families. We empower our participants and inspire our communities on and off the field. Every Year. Every Month. Every Day.

Governors' Gold honors Blazers, "Big Red" and others Friday night Oct. 16

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:35:00 +0000

NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton, Blazer greats Maurice Lucas and Bobby Gross, and other special guests will join the Governors at the 2009 Governors’ Gold Awards this Friday, Oct. 16 at the Oregon Convention Center.

The 7th Annual Governors' Gold Awards and its inaugural Oregon Experience Auction will be a star-studded and lively affair this year, starting at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 in The Oregon Ballroom of the Oregon Convention Center.

Even The University of Oregon Fighting Duck and Oregon State’s Bennie the Beaver will put rivalry aside for a night to celebrate statewide greatness – both promising to be on their best behavior. The annual gathering benefiting Special Olympics Oregon takes on even greater significance this year by also representing a snapshot of historical achievement and commitment to our beloved state as we continue to celebrate Oregon’s Sesquicentennial.

Awardees and event participants:

DaveFrohnmayer, President 1994-2009, University of Oregon, former Attorney General

The Standard – J. Greg Ness, President & CEO

Hoffman Construction Company – Wayne Drinkward, President & CEO

Patsy Smullin, Owner & President, California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc.

The 1977 Portland Trail Blazers NBA Championship Team –with special guests Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas, Bobby Gross, Harry Glickman, Bill Schonley

Michael Nelson – Owner, Nelson Real Estate

Powell’s Books – Michael Powell, Owner & President

LAIKA, Inc. – Travis Knight, President & CEO

Event hosts Governor John Kitzhaber, Governor Barbara Roberts, Governor Vic Atiyeh; and a tribute to Eunice Kennedy Shriver by Gert Boyle, Chairman, Columbia Sportswear

Founded in 1972, Special Olympics Oregon serves individuals statewide with intellectual disabilities – the largest disability population in the state that impacts one-in-five Oregon families. We empower our participants and inspire our communities on and off the field. Every Year. Every Month. Every Day.

The 7th Annual Governors’ Gold Awards

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:53:00 +0000

Celebrate Oregon’s 150th Birthday at the Governors’ Gold Awards

Join Oregon’s leaders past and present to celebrate Oregon’s 150th birthday and its pioneering spirit in business, politics and entertainment.

Get a seat or a table at the 7th Annual Governors’ Gold Awards on October 16, 2009 to enjoy dinner, local wine and The Oregon Experience Auction. Bid on an extraordinary array of experiences sure to unearth your inner Oregonian. All proceeds from the dinner and auction benefit Special Olympics Oregon.

For details or the latest news on “Special Guests” or auction items visit www.governorsgoldawards.com.

Discover the mission of Special Olympics Oregon and everything it is doing in your community now!

Governor Ted Kulongoski
Governor John Kitzhaber
Governor Barbara Roberts
and
Governor Victor Atiyeh

…are pleased to announce the 2009 Governors’ Gold Awards recipients:

Dave Frohnmayer
President, Emeritus
University of Oregon
Established 1876

The Standard
J. Greg Ness, President CEO
Established 1906

Hoffman Construction Company
Wayne Drinkward, President and CEO
Established 1922

Patricia C. “Patsy” Smullin
Owner and President, California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc.
Established 1933

The 1977 Portland Trail Blazers
NBA Championship Team
Portland Trail Blazers
Established 1970

Michael Nelson
Owner, Nelson Real Estate, Inc.
Established 1976

Powell’s Books
Michael Powell, Owner and President
Established 1971

LAIKA, Inc.
Travis Knight, President and CEO
Established 2005

Lifetime Achievement Award
Governor Victor Atiyeh (Governor of Oregon, 1979 - 1987)

2009 Shriver Greatness Award
Presented to the Oregon delegation of the 2009 Special Olympics
World Winter Games Team

SPONSORS

Special Olympics Mourns the Loss of Eunice Kennedy Shriver

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:04:00 +0000

HYANNIS, MA (August 11, 2009) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver died early this morning at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts, surrounded by her family. She was 88 years old. Near her at the time of her death were her husband, R. Sargent Shriver; her five children: Robert "Bobby" Sargent ShriverIII, Maria Owings Shriver, Timothy Perry Shriver, Mark Kennedy Shriver and Anthony Paul Kennedy Shriver, as well as their spouses and all of her nineteen grandchildren.

The younger sister of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy,Shriver was the founder and honorary chairperson of Special Olympics, and executive vice president of the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation. She has been a leader in the worldwide movement to improve and to enhance the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities for more than six decades. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts on July 10th, 1921, she was the fifth of nine children of Joseph P. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University along with numerous other honors and awards. In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI bestowed upon her the title of Dame of the papal Order of St. Gregory the Great.

We are tremendously grateful for the extreme outpouring of support and prayer from the public as we honor our beloved founder, said Special Olympics President and COO Brady Lum. Today we celebrate the life of a woman who had the vision to create our movement. It is an enormous loss, but I know we can rest assured that her legacy will live on through her family, friends, and the millions of people around the world who she touched and transformed. In her memory, we will continue to work to bring her powerful vision to life to change the lives of those with intellectual disabilities, their families and communities, using sports as the catalyst for respect, acceptance and inclusion.

Shriver is survived by her husband of 56 years, R. Sargent Shriver Jr.; her five children; and her nineteen grandchildren who range in age from two months to twenty-two years.

Out of respect for the privacy of the family, no interviews are being granted at this time.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to Special Olympics and Best Buddies . Condolence cards may be sent to Special Olympics headquarters: 1133 19th Street NW, Washington DC, 20036.

Please visit the Eunice Kenndy Shriver Website to share a tribute online.

Tribute areas are also being set up at Special Olympics Headquarters in Washington D.C., The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston and the JFK Museum in Hyannis.

Funeral details and other memorial information will be posted at www.eunicekennedyshriver.org as they become available.

LPGA Tickets Help Support Special Olympics Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:09:00 +0000

Support Special Olympics Oregon with the Safeway Classic’s TICKETS Fore CHARITY™ program. Participating organizations will keep 100% of the money raised from the sale of tickets. Together with your help, we are looking for new growth in our impact on the community by improving the quality of life for children in Oregon.

Founded in 1972, Tournament Golf Foundation (TGF) is a non-profit organization managed by a volunteer Board of Directors and six full-time paid staff. TGF brought the LPGA Tour to Portland in 1972 and has been the managing organizer of the Safeway Classic since then. In its 38 year history, the tournament has generated more than $13 million for local Portland charities. The 2008 Safeway Classic donated $1,000,000; the third straight year of one-million dollars or more. TGF donates the net proceeds of the tournament to The Safeway Foundation for distribution to select charities in the community.

Download our informational PDF or go to the Safeway Classic website to purchase tickets.

Special Olympics Oregon honors Summer Games Athlete Pride in Performance winner

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:47:00 +0000

[Warrenton] – Leroy Palmrose [pictured far left], a long-time athlete with the Special Olympics Oregon - Clatsop County local program, has been named the 2009 Summer Games recipient of the Les Schwab Tire Centers Pride in Performance award for outstanding athletes. Leroy was presented with his award by John McCall, store manager of the Warrenton Les Schwab Tire Center on Tuesday, July 28, 2009. Leroy’s coach, Randy Anderson, a key volunteer with the Special Olympics Oregon - Clatsop County local program, proudly stood by his side when he accepted the award.

Leroy has been an athlete with the Clatsop County local program for more than twenty years. He does athletics (track and field) in the Summer season and plays basketball during the Winter season. According to Karen Cly, one of Leroy’s coaches, “Leroy always puts in 150%. He helps out his opponents with encouragement and always thanks the officials.” Through his participation in Special Olympics Oregon, Leroy has grown as an athlete and as a person. As Karen says, “He went from a shy and standoff-ish person to an outgoing person who is willing to do anything.” In addition, his participation has made him a better member of the community. According to Karen, he holds a job and is always on time.

The Les Schwab Tire Centers Pride in Performance awards are named for Les Schwab Tire Centers, the Official Sponsor of Special Olympics Oregon. Two winners—an athlete and a volunteer—are honored each sports season. They are selected from among nominees put forward by others involved in Special Olympics Oregon.
The 2009 Summer Regional Games, presented by Les Schwab Tire Centers, took place throughout the state in May and June. Ten regional-level competitions took place featuring athletics, bocce, golf, gymnastics and softball.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Tribute Site Unveiled

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:03:00 +0000

July 20 not only marked the forty-first anniversary of the first Special Olympics Games, held at Chicago's Soldier Field in 1968, but also the 88th birthday of one of the most extraordinary women in the world: Special Olympics Founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. In honor and celebration of Mrs. Shriver's work, a new tribute site was unveiled this month.

The site, entitled "Eunice Kennedy Shriver: One Woman's Vision" looks at the worldwide impact of her work, shares her story, includes letters from some of the world's biggest luminaries, and gives you the opportunity to post your very own tribute to Mrs. Shriver.

Please be sure to visit www.eunicekennedyshriver.org for more information

Special Olympics Oregon Athlete Runs the Distance, Makes Friends Along the Way

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:39:00 +0000

Aaron Aarseth (pictured above right) a Special Olympics Oregon athlete from Jackson County can certainly feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. Aaron was chosen to represent Special Olympics Oregon as a member of a group of athletes that ran with Law Enforcement Officers during the 2009 World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho. While participating in the week long event, Aaron logged over 60 miles running with the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run Relay Team. During that time, he made friends with athletes from all over the world, as well as law enforcement officers.

One of the officers Aaron became friends with invited him to participate in a Torch Run through the Lincoln Tunnel in NYC! Aaron jumped at the chance, and flew to New York in order to participate. After the run in NYC he was presented with his very own torch to commemorate the experience.

On the way back home from NYC, Aaron ran into a bit of a challenge. He had to change planes in San Francisco but when he arrived he found out that the flight from San Francisco to Medford was cancelled. Aaron had difficulty receiving assistance at the airport to get another flight to Medford so he immediately called his mom, who immediately called Aaron’s friend in Law Enforcement - an officer in Oklahoma City. The officer told Evie Aarseth not to worry and that he had a friend who worked in law enforcement in San Francisco. He committed that he would make sure Aaron got safely to a new flight. The officer in Oklahoma City then made the call to his friend in San Francisco who was off-duty but came to Aaron’s aid. He drove out to the airport, found Aaron, and got him safely on a new flight home.

These officers went above and beyond the call of simply “serving and protecting.” They jumped in to help a Special Olympics Oregon athlete who was also their new friend. As a result of Aaron’s experience, these two officers from different states are now working together, along with additional officers across the nation, to help airport personnel become more understanding of people with special needs.

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:36:00 +0000

Special Olympics Oregon Summer Regional Games To Be Held Statewide

Communities around Oregon will once again play host to Special Olympics Oregon Summer Regional Games in the coming weekends of May and June 2009. Over 1,700 athletes will each compete in one of these 9 competitions held around the state. In addition, hundreds of coaches, volunteers and family members will support the competitors.

The Summer Regional Games, presented by Les Schwab Tire Centers, officially begin on Saturday, May 30 with a track meet in Milton-Freewater and bocce competition, golf competition and softball competition in Eugene. Regional level competition continues the following weekend with a track meet in Grants Pass and a track meet and bocce competition in Gresham on Saturday, June 6. Quail Valley Golf Course in Banks will host another golf competition on June 20. Finally, there will be gymnastics and softball competition in Beaverton on Saturday, June 27 to conclude the summer season.

“Around the state, our athletes are training weekly with their coaches in preparation for their chance to compete at one of these upcoming Summer Regional Games. This is their opportunity to test their skills and showcase their talents.” says Margaret Hunt, Special Olympics Oregon CEO.

Les Schwab Tire Centers is the official sponsor of the State Summer Games. Other sponsors who support Summer Games include Fred Meyer, The Standard, Bank of America, DEX, Day Wireless, Roth’s Fresh Markets, Fisher Farm & Lawn, Chipotle, Atlas Track & Tennis, Providence Health Services, Pepsi and Panda Express.

2009 Special Olympics Oregon Summer Regional Games Schedule

Saturday, May 30
• Athletics (Track & Field) – Shockman Field in Milton-Freewater - 9am to 3pm
• Bocce & Softball – Shasta Middle School in Eugene – 9am to 5pm
• Golf – River Ridge Golf Course in Eugene – 9am to 4pm

Saturday, June 6
• Athletics (Track & Field) – Grants Pass High School – 9am to 4pm
• Athletics (Track & Field) & Bocce – Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham* – 9am to 4pm
*Featuring Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg at 9:30am

Saturday, June 20
• Golf – Quail Valley Golf Course, Banks – 9am to 4pm

Saturday, June 27
• Gymnastics – Oregon Gymnastics Academy, Beaverton – 9am to 2pm
• Softball – Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation District Complex, Beaverton – 9am to 5pm

Spread the Word to End the Word

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:05:00 +0000

Today, 3.31.09 is a National Awareness Day to raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word “retard(ed)” and encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word.

This morning Rebecca Marshall from KXL interviewed Sutherlin High School student Hannah Kasal. In February, Hannah attended the Special Olympics Youth Activation Summit in Boise in February and just yesterday, she helped organize a school-wide assembly whereover 150 students signed the R-Word pledge. Hannah is also Special Olympics Oregon's lead student trainer for our Project Unify Conference (educate, motivate, activate).

Listen to Hannah's interview.

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:21:00 +0000

Spread the Word to End the Word is a National Awareness Day to raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word “retard(ed)” and encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word.

Special Olympics Oregon now has several schools conducting activities to raise awareness. Part of this awareness includes putting up posters, passing out buttons, and handing out wrist bands to students who sign the R-Word pledge.

Visit r-word.org to learn how you can Spread the Word to End the Word. Show your support and take the pledge!

President Obama Apologizes To Special Olympics

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:11:00 +0000

Link to News Release from Special Olympics

ABC News Story

FOX News Story

BBC News Story

A Splashing Success!!

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:27:00 +0000

More than 500 brave souls took the plunge on Saturday, February 21 for Special Olympics Oregon. Sunny skies and a brisk east wind made for a bright, yet chilly back drop for plungers as they lined up at Broughton Beach on the Columbia River. At last count, more than $127,000 in donations have been collected by plungers who took place in Polar Plunge Columbia presented by Mattress World. Teams included Oregon law enforcement agencies, Oregon companies, high schools, colleges and various clubs, including a large team of Dragon Boat Paddlers. Also taking the plunge were local celebrities including Sherri Hiner of Mattress World, Drew Carney of KGW, Cort and Fatboy of KUFO and Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief of Police Brian Martinek. The community support was overwhelming, and it was a great start to what we expect will be an Oregon tradition.

Photos for the Polar Plunge Columbia can be found here.

While the Polar Plunge Columbia is behind us, we are still gearing up for Polar Plunge Deschutes! This Friday, February 27 we invite you to join us for the third annual Polar Plunge Deschutes at Riverbend Park in Bend, OR. Check-in begins at 4:30 and plungers will leap into the Deschutes at 6:30 PM. It’s not too late to register!

If you aren't plunging this year, we would like to encourage you to support Special Olympics Oregon athlete Chris Rukaveno in his plunge. Make your pledge at his FirstGiving page.

Proceeds from the event will go towards Special Olympics Oregon’s mission: to deliver sports training and athletic competition to thousands of athletes in local communities state-wide during the winter, summer and fall sports seasons.

Polar Plunge Columbia is Here!

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:33:00 +0000

If you haven't heard, the Polar Plunge taking place on the Columbia is tomorrow, February 21st!

At 11:00am on Saturday morning, individuals and teams from throughout the Portland area – led by business leaders, celebrities and law enforcement – will make a mad dash into the Columbia River from the beach on NE Marine Drive.

All plungers have to raise a minimum of $50 to take the icy dip. If you haven’t signed up yet, it's not too late to register online at our FirstGiving page, today between 4pm and 8pm at the Delta Park Joe’s Sports, Outdoor and More Location (1140 N. Hayden Meadows Dr., Portland, OR 97217), or on-site tomorrow morning starting at 8:30am. Every little bit helps us to reach our fundraising goal of $290,000.

If you aren't plunging this year, we would like to encourage you to support Special Olympics Oregon athlete Chris Rukaveno in his plunge. His page can be found at: http://www.firstgiving.com/deannarukaveno.

Proceeds from the event will go towards Special Olympics Oregon’s mission: to deliver sports training and athletic competition to thousands of athletes in local communities state-wide during the winter, summer and fall sports seasons.

And don’t forget: Polar Plunge Deschutes is just a week away. For more information about both Polar Plunges, visit www.soor.org/plunge/.

Special Olympics Oregon athlete Kevin Zwart Honored at Oregon Sports Awards

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:20:00 +0000

PORTLAND, OR—Kevin Zwart, a 19 year-old Special Olympics Oregon athlete from Salem, has been selected as the 2008 recipient of the Lou Burge Award. Zwart was honored along with other outstanding Oregon athletes at the Oregon Sports Awards on Sunday, February 8, 2009 at Nike World Headquarters.

The Lou Burge award is bestowed annually on a Special Olympics Oregon athlete who epitomizes the ideals of Special Olympics competition and sportsmanship. Zwart, who has been diagnosed with autism, loves to swim. He competes in the Special Olympics Oregon program and on his community swim team - the Bearcat Swim Club. Kevin is a graduate of Sprague High School. Kevin recently achieved a personal best in the 200m freestyle at the 2008 Special Olympics Oregon Fall Games. He earned multiple gold medals at the 2006 Special Olympics U.S. National Games in Iowa. He hopes to someday compete at the Special Olympics World Games.

Upon accepting his award from host Ahmad Rashad, Zwart told the audience at the
Standford Theatre: “Thank you for having me here and giving me this honor. There are many excellent athletes who compete in Special Olympics. It took Special Olympics for me to realize that I love to swim. Swimming for the last eight years has been very inspirational and motivating. This sport helps me a lot and I love it so much. I would like to thank my teammates, my family, my friends all my coaches and volunteers. Finally, I would like to give a very special thank you to Sue Hill, who was my first Special Olympics swim coach. She really encouraged me. Thank you, Special Olympics.”

Special Olympics Oregon & the Economy: Challenge & Opportunity

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:39:00 +0000

Dear Friends of Special Olympics Oregon,

Special Olympics Oregon has been popular with the media this week! Many of you may have seen a TV story or read a newspaper article about Special Olympics Oregon. While well intended, these stories contained some inaccuracies. So, just to set the record straight, here’s the story:

Special Olympics Oregon Responds Proactively to Economy

Like nearly all non-profit and for-profit companies, we have looked responsibly at our budget and determined that, given the uncertainly of the 2009 economy, we should scale back a bit to protect both our athlete's year-round experience and the organization's future. Our decisions were driven by one overriding consideration: what is best for the thousands of individuals with intellectual disability that we serve statewide?

Special Olympics Oregon Programs Continue to Serve Athletes Statewide

The answer was clear: we needed to maintain our athletes’ regular Special Olympics involvement in all sports and in as many year-round competition experiences as possible, while at the same time, take some of the financial pressure off the volunteer-driven Local Programs who serve our constituency in nearly every county and major city in the state. With those goals, we determined that we should shelve – for 2009 only – the three largest, most expensive, and least frequent state games. This would provide a measure of financial relief for both the state office and the Local Programs. We retained – in fact, we expanded – the number of remaining statewide competitions we do, which is now nearly 30. This means that our athletes will continue to have the regular, weekly, year-round participation in Special Olympics Oregon that they are accustomed to. In addition, we took a sharp pencil to the state office to be sure every dollar was best utilized in this economy - the result was a reduction of three staff (we now have 22 instead of 25).

2009...Challenge and Opportunity...and YOU can help!

Here at Special Olympics Oregon, we feel very positive about the New Year! We have built a strong base of corporate and community support that continues to further the important mission of Special Olympics Oregon. That said, we will need the help of our friends to weather the current economic climate. We invite your support as we inspire greatness in our amazing constituency - an extraordinary group of children and adults who teach us every day that giving up is not an option. They do hard things…and so can we.

Thank you for your help. It is greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Margie
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Margaret H. Hunt, CEO
Special Olympics Oregon

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:22:00 +0000

Sports Illustrated honored Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver with the first Sportsman of the Year Legacy Award at the 2008 Sportsman of the Year celebration in New York City. The Sportsman of the Year Legacy Award was created to recognize those who have, over the course of their lifetime, demonstrated the ideals of sportsmanship.

In addition to recognizing Mrs. Shriver’s lifetime of contributions, this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated includes a special feature on Special Olympics. Sports Illustrated senior writer Jack McCallum takes a look back at the 40-year-history of the Special Olympics and the first Special Olympics Games in 1968.

The Sports Illustrated issue featuring Special Olympics, with Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps on the cover, is now available on newsstands.

An awesome morning at Applebee's!

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:42:00 +0000

The Nov. 15 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser for Special Olympics Oregon raised nearly $20,000 from sales of $5 all-you-can-eat breakfasts, icon sales and related donations to the nonprofit organization.
There were 13 Applebee’s participating in the two-hour breakfast. Most locations exceeded $1,000 in ticket sales revenue, with the Roseburg location leading the way with nearly $2,500 in ticket sales. Combined sales for stores in the Salem and Eugene/Springfield areas were strong as well.
The event invited members of the community to enjoy a pancake breakfast with bacon, eggs, juice or coffee for only $5. All proceeds raised will go directly to support the athletes of Special Olympics Oregon, primarily assisting them with travel expenses to the monthly games across the state.
The 13 participating Applebee’s locations across the state:

• Beaverton
• Lloyd Center
• Happy Valley
• Lancaster Mall
• North Salem
• South Salem
• Lake Oswego
• Corvallis
• Roseburg
• Springfield
• Albany
• Eugene
• Gresham

Fundraising, One Pancake at a Time!

noreply@blogger.com (soor_state) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:33:00 +0000

Thanks to the participating Applebee's for their support on Saturday, Nov. 15. Their pancake-breakfast-loving customers raised nearly $20,000 for Special Olympics Oregon!