Newsletter - Special Olympics Iowa

October 2014
Newsletter
We are Over the Edge for Special Olympics Iowa
by Shelby Howard
It is difficult to put into words the excitement that could be felt when walking up to the
Financial Center in Des Moines on Wednesday, September 17, the morning of Over the
Edge. For someone who has never experienced this event before, it comes as quite a
shock to see 92 individuals scale down a 345-foot building on a typical weekday. But
even more astounding is that through the support of the Special Olympics Iowa
community, rappellers have raised more than $106,000 thus far.
Athletes, supporters, SOIA board members, and even a few celebrities took on the
challenge. UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich challenged radio personality Bill Micheals of
97X, and the two rappelled simultaneously, both a little nervous for the descent.
Once he was back on the ground, Miletich said, “You can generally survive a three-story
fall; you don’t survive 25 stories. But it’s for a great cause; I had to overcome my fear of
heights to help Special Olympics, help the [athletes].”
Patricia Weidner, executive chef at Prairie Meadows, went Over the Edge for her first
time. Weidner said, “I couldn’t look down at first because I was just getting the feel of
the ropes and the release, and after I got comfortable with it I could look around and
enjoy the view. It was great!” Weidner said she would
absolutely participate again next year.
Pastor Dan Kuckuck was all smiles as he was released
from the ropes. Pastor Kuckuck had not yet participated in an Special Olympic Iowa event, but with help
from his congregation, he was able to raise the funds
to be a part of our unique fundraiser. He told us that
his church, St. Stephen Lutheran Church supports
Mosaic and that this is an extension of the work they
do in trying to help every person flourish and reach
their full potential.
He continued, “Being able to go Over the Edge and
raise awareness for Special Olympics was amazing,
and I am so glad I got to be a part of this experience.”
From all of us at Special Olympics Iowa, we would like to thank our sponsors, especially
Terrus Real Estate Group, Murphy Tower Service, Cumulus Des Moines, and Register
Media, as well as our athletes, supporters and volunteers. Without you, events like this
would not be possible, so let’s start raising money for Over the Edge 2015!
Polar Plunge Revenue Sharing
Article courtesy of Iowa City Schools
The City High Chapter of Best Buddies “Prom” Plungers
Members of the City High Chapter of Best Buddies took the
plunge on a cold day last fall to raise money for the Iowa
City School District Special Olympics program run by
Coach- of-the-Year, Joe Taylor. Tom Braverman, the faculty
advisor for City High Schools Best Buddies Program has
gathered together teams for this event for several years,
but was especially pleased to do so this year knowing that
the new revenue sharing program was in place.
Braverman said that over the years, revenues have helped
athletes attend the Mid-winter Games in Iowa City.
Each year the City High Chapter of Best Buddies does one or
two service learning projects, but the Polar Plunge is by far
the favorite service learning project that the club does. “It
was cold, and wearing a dress is certainly not something I
am comfortable doing but knowing that the funds would
directly benefit our local athletes made it all worthwhile,”
said Braverman.
Photo Courtesy of the Iowa City Press Citizen
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day Resources & Events
Once again this year, the Special Olympics family around the world celebrated the legacy of Eunice Kennedy Shriver with a day that consisted of individual events held at the
local, national, regional and global level. Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day was September
27, 2014, and to help programs develop events that illustrate the value of inclusion,
Special Olympics released new graphics that are aligned with our master brand.
The new guidelines, templates, banners, logos and
other
files
are
available
at
resources.specialolympics.org. The Resources site
also provides helpful photo, video and social
media assets for use in conjunction with
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day.
SOI asked everyone to please be sure to register their EKS Day events. Post-event, please
submit your final report form, capturing your Program’s EKS Day-Related activities,
[email protected]
Eunice Kennedy Shriver is an inspiration, and should be celebrated year-round.
Staying FIT with Chris Puffer
By Adrienne Johnson
Special Olympics Iowa is encouraging regular physical activity through
the FIT (Fitness Improvement Training) program. Chris Puffer is one of
the athletes who regularly participates in Special Olympics activities. He
is no different when it comes to the new FIT program. Chris
participated in the FIT assessment at the Summer Games. A few weeks
after the Summer Games were complete, we went back to Chris to get
his take on the FIT program, the FIT program assessment, and how he
is going to regularly stay active and get fit.
Chris enjoyed participating in the FIT assessment. “I liked testing my
endurance and strength. The balance station and shuttle test were my
favorite parts.” Since the test, Chris has been keeping up with regular
physical activity to stay fit and improve his athletic performance and
overall health. “I run about six to eight miles every other day. I also
eat fruits and vegetables and avoid snacks.” Chris continues stating,
“Being fit is not just about being active, it is also about having a good
diet.”
Chris is motivated by competition. He competes in community races
and Special Olympics Iowa events throughout the year. “It’s not easy,” says Chris. “To stay in shape and get better, you have
to step out of your comfort zone and that is hard.” His coaches also help to keep him motivated by encouraging him to keep
active, live a healthy lifestyle, and set goals. “My main goal is to do a full marathon, all 26.2 miles,” Chris explains. He has
completed several half-marathons already but wants to continue to build up the endurance to tackle a full marathon.
Chris wanted to encourage others to live a healthy lifestyle and get FIT with Special Olympics Iowa. “Athletes need to have
wisdom,” Chris states. “To live a healthy lifestyle, you need to stay away from temptation. Also, you need to listen to your
coaches. Let them actually coach you, and let them lead you to personal independence. That way, you can live a healthy
lifestyle and remain healthy when your coaches aren’t around.”
To join Chris as he improves his athletic performance and health or to find out more about the Special Olympics Iowa FIT
program, contact Adrienne Johnson at [email protected].
NAIA Volleyball Clinic for Athletes
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics will sponsor a SOIA volleyball clinic in conjunction with the NAIA Volleyball Championship. The clinic will be held at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City on Monday, December 1, from 9:30 a.m.
-11 a.m. SOIA athletes DO NOT need to compete in volleyball to attend this clinic.
The clinic is a wonderful opportunity for athletes to learn volleyball skills. Players from the NAIA tournament will serve as
clinicians for the training. Benefits to coaches and athletes for attending the clinic include:

Learn new volleyball skills

Improve on existing volleyball skills

Play with some of the best volleyball players in the nation
To register, contact Mandi Parker at [email protected]
Gulbranson to Compete in State Bowling
By Joyce Allard
Bowling has always been Patrick Gulbranson’s favorite sport. Bowling is on his mind
more these days as the 24-year-old athlete from Stuart prepares for the state
bowling championships in November.
His coach, Helene Rothe, said Patrick is especially looking forward to competing in
bowling during the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. “It's an
honor to be chosen and I am excited about representing Iowa and the United
States,” Patrick said with pride.
He stays busy on and off the training field competing in bocce, track and field, team
basketball, softball skills and soccer skills. He is trained in public speaking as a Special
Olympics Global Messenger.
Patrick has earned the rank of Eagle Scout
– the highest advancement in Boy
Scouts, and is a member of the Order of the Arrow which is the national honor
society for scouting in America. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus,
and recently gave a speech to his council about competing at the 2015 World
Games. In addition, he has been working at McDonald’s for 10 years.
Helene has coached Patrick during the past six years with two other coaches,
Michelle Cooke and Dusty Stork. “We’ve seen Patrick become more confident
and independent,” she said. “He’s developed the courage to try new things.”
So, what does Patrick like most about Special Olympics? He answered with a big grin, “Competing with my team because I
love sports.”
Good luck to Patrick and all the Special Olympics bowlers who will compete at the Special Olympics Iowa State Bowling
Tournament on Saturday, November 22.
Support Special Olympics Iowa Through United Way
This fall, companies and businesses are ready to kick-off their annual United Way Workplace Campaign. Did you
know that your donation through United Way can directly benefit Special Olympics Iowa? At the bottom of the
United Way pledge form, you can choose to direct your donations to a specific agency. So write in “Special
Olympics Iowa” in the blank! That way, your gift will go toward supporting our athletes. You can give a one-time
gift or set up a regular payroll deduction. All of your gift or a portion can be designated directly to SOIA!
Special Olympics Play Day for Young Athletes
by Julie Berns
When I first heard about the Special Olympics Iowa Play Day for Young Athletes
my daughter, Claire, was only three years old. I was skeptical; Claire was just a
baby. She hung out with me at home and ran errands; she was not involved in
any structured sport. She has always been small for her age, even compared to
other children with Down Syndrome. How would she compete? However, being
tiny has never slowed Claire down for a moment. So I let down my protective
walls that I had been keeping her in, and I signed her up.
The building seemed to be a hive of activity when we first arrived. We put on
our t-shirts, found Kathy and introduced her to Claire. Kathy scooped her up,
chatted with her, and asked for a picture with Claire. This has become our tradition every year, find Kathy and take a picture! Awesome is such an over-used
word, but that was how it was for me walking in there; I was in awe. All of these
people, laughter, cheers, smiles. We were totally accepted, and that is such a
peaceful feeling.
We brought Jack, Claire’s brother, along to be her coach and hold her hand. Claire immediately started to socialize with her
group, giving a hug to the young lady from Urbandale High School who was there volunteering as our group leader. We all
had big smiles as she got to know her teammates. But as we started the activities, I was still kind of unsure as to how this
would go. I was silly to worry.
Claire dove into the activities; Jack would show her how to do it and she was so excited to try them all! She loved all of the
cheering and clapping, and so did we. It did not matter whose child was having a turn at an activity, we were all cheering
them on! Claire loved trying – and really that’s the point – she just wanted to try. Just to see her face light up as she
attempted something new and heard all of those people cheering for her was absolutely priceless. When one of the other
teammates had a turn she loved to yell and clap for them too. Watching her, I realized I had been limiting her, maybe
being a little overprotective. It was foolish of me. Watching her try her hardest and show some independence really
showed me what an amazing daughter I have. She is a strong, courageous, lovely young lady.
Claire continues to practice some of the activities she learned at Play Day in her daily playtime. When she is playing out in
the driveway I watch her walking along the seam of the concrete, just like it’s a balance beam! And there is no ball that she
will not try to kick, throw, hit with a bat, or try to make a basket. Who knows what’s next: gymnastics, dance, and little
league? She is fearless, and now her mom knows that there are no limits to her capabilities.
Athletes Needed for the Global Messenger Workshop
Special Olympics Iowa will host its 13th Global Messenger Workshop for our athletes on Friday, November 7 from 6:30 p.m.
to 9 p.m. and Saturday, November 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the SOIA state headquarters in Grimes.
The Global Messenger Workshop is a two-day workshop during which athletes learn to write speeches and learn techniques
on delivering a speech. Each athlete has a speech coach, and together they work at putting the athlete's thoughts and
experiences about Special Olympics on paper to deliver as a speech.
For more information, contact Kathy Irving at [email protected]
Coolest Day in Des Moines in 2014!
By Shane Kiesner
Special Olympics Iowa and the Iowa Wild are teaming up for the “Coolest Day in Des Moines in 2014!” on Saturday,
November 8. Special Olympics Iowa and Iowa Wild fans will enjoy a full day of “cool” events beginning with the Des
Moines Polar Plunge at Big Creek Beach in Polk City in the morning and ending with Special Olympics Iowa Night at the
Iowa Wild game versus the Chicago Wolves at Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines.
The “Coolest Day in Des Moines in 2014!” will help raise funds for and
awareness of the impact of the programs of Special Olympics Iowa on
more than 12,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities and Unified
Sports® Partners who participate in our programs each year. Special
Olympics Iowa programs transform lives and communities every day by
increasing physical fitness, breaking down barriers, smashing
stereotypes, building friendships, reducing bullying, increasing
opportunities for sports training and competition, raising awareness of
intellectual disabilities and the abilities of our athletes, increasing
acceptance, and much more.
By creating a team to participate in the Des Moines Polar Plunge, providing fundraising and awareness opportunities at
games leading up to and during the Special Olympics Iowa Night with the Iowa Wild on November 8, and by promoting this
partnership through social media and other avenues, the Iowa Wild are demonstrating their support for the mission and
athletes of Special Olympics Iowa.
Individuals participating in the Des Moines Polar Plunge, as either plungers or chickens, who raise $75 by November 1 will
receive one free ticket to the Special Olympics Iowa Night with the Iowa Wild game on November 8. Those raising at least
$125 by November 1 will receive two free tickets to the game.
The individual plunger raising the most money for the Des Moines
Polar Plunge will receive, in addition to other prizes, four tickets to
the Special Olympics Iowa Night with the Iowa Wild game plus the
opportunity to drop the ceremonial first puck with a Special Olympics
Iowa athlete.
Crash, the Iowa Wild mascot, will also be at the Polar Plunge in the
morning to encourage and thank members of the Iowa Wild staff,
Iowa Wild fans and all others taking the plunge to raise funds to
support the programs of Special Olympics Iowa!
You can participate in the “Coolest Day in Des Moines in 2014!” by registering for the Des Moines Polar Plunge as a
member of the Iowa Wild or any other team (www.soiowa.org/Pages/DesMoinesPolarPlunge.aspx), by donating to a
registered plunger or chicken, by attending the plunge to cheer on the plungers, or by purchasing, for $12, a ticket to the
Special Olympics Iowa Night at the Iowa Wild game versus the Chicago Wolves. To purchase a ticket for the November 8
Special Olympics Iowa Night with the Iowa Wild game please contact Shane Kiesner at [email protected] or
515-986-5520, ext. 104.
Show your support for the athletes of Special Olympics Iowa by plunging, donating to a plunger, or buying a ticket to
Special Olympics Iowa Night at the Iowa Wild game and you can join Special Olympics Iowa and the Iowa Wild in celebrating the “Coolest Day in Des Moines in 2014!”
Coaches Training, Unified Sports, Challenge Days, Play Days, Fundraisers, LETR Events
October
Buffalo Wild Wings Tip A Cop — October 1, Merle Hay Rd.
Jester Park Unified Golf — October 4, Des Moines Jester Park Golf Course (Deadline is September 19)
Contact Michelle Haney at 515-986-5520 or [email protected].
State Flag Football Tournament — October 4, Ellis Park, Cedar Rapids
Dubuque Young Athletes Play Day — October 4, Loras College, Dubuque
Upper Iowa Unified Sports Day — October 11, Fayette (Deadline is September 26)
Contact Michelle Haney at 515-986-5520 or [email protected].
Coaches Tennis Training Certification Clinic — October 11, North Dodge Athletic Club, Iowa City
(Return registration form to Rhonda Schwarzkopf by 10/01)
LETR World’s Largest Truck Convoy — October 11, West Des Moines
Akron Unified Golf — September 13 (Deadline is September 3)
Council Bluffs Play Day — October 17, Thomas Jefferson High School (9:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m.)
Contact Kathy Irving at (515-986-5520, ext. 111)
State Volleyball Tournament — October 18, Iowa State University (Ames)
Red Robin Tip A Cop — October 18, Statewide
Buffalo Wild Wings Tip A Cop — October 22, Merle Hay Rd.
Davenport Polar Plunge — October 25, West Lake Park Beach
Siouxland Polar Plunge — October 25, Brown’s Lake (Salix)
November
Fort Dodge Polar Plunge — November 2, Kennedy Park in Ft. Dodge
SW Area Unified Training Day — November 4, Treynor,
Contact Michelle Haney at 515-986-5520 or [email protected]
SUPER Plunge — November 7-8, Big Creek, near Des Moines
Global Messenger Workshop — November 7-8, SOIA State Office, Grimes
Des Moines Polar Plunge — November 8, Big Creek, near Des Moines
Young Athletes Play Day — November 12, Muscatine
Contact Kathy Irving at (515-986-5520, ext. 111)
Young Athletes Play Day — November 13, Davenport
Contact Kathy Irving at (515-986-5520, ext. 111)
Northeast Area Roller Skating — November 14, Cedar Falls
Dubuque Polar Plunge —November 15, Dubuque Water Sports Club
Challenge Day — November 21, River Hills School, Cedar Falls, Contact Kathy Irving at (515-986-5520, ext. 111)
State Bowling Tournament — November 22, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City
551 SE Dovetail Road
PO Box 620
Grimes, Iowa 50111
www.soiowa.org
515-986-5520
Thank You To Our Partners!
Champion Statewide Partners
Premier Statewide Partners
Champion & Premier Statewide Partners provide a comprehensive level of support of all programs and services offered by
Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA). Organizations may be recognized at these levels for financial support, in-kind donations or any
combination thereof, and are recognized in many other ways. To find out more about our current partnership opportunities or
for information on how to become one, visit our website at www.soiowa.org and look under Support Us, or contact the SOIA
Vice President of Development Sherry Fuller at 515-986-5520 Ext. 103.