🎁 We wish you and those dear to you a joyful holiday season and happy, healthy new year! 🎁

Athletes Shine at Unified Sports® Holiday Classic Presented by the Connecticut Elks Association

Thanks to the support of many, our Unified Sports® Holiday Classic provided an action-packed, thrill-inspiring, fun-filled weekend for the more than 2,000 athletes and Unified teammates who participated.

With support from more than 27 sponsors, 200 coaches, 600 volunteers and friends at five host sites including Gleason Performance Training, Quinnipiac University, Hamden Hall's Beckerman Athletic Center, AMF Circle Lanes and Bowlero, it truly was a Unified and collaborative event, with a focus on great moves, great strength and friendly - but serious - competition.

Among the most important activities athletes participated in during our Unified Sports® Holiday Classic were Healthy Athletes® Special Smiles and Strong Minds activities.Through our Healthy Athletes® Special Smiles program offered by Clinical Director Dr. Matthew Lepowsky and UConn School of Dental Medicine volunteers, more than 60 athletes were provided with free dental screenings and oral care education. Through Strong Minds led by Clinical Director Suzie Berthiaume, more than 30 athletes learned strategies for boosting positive thinking, releasing stress and connecting with others.

Did you know? Special Olympics is the world's largest public health organization dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual disabilities!

Special Olympics Hartford Takes Home Gold - A Testimonial

"Team Hartford has a lot to be thankful for this year. We had five Unified basketball teams in five different divisions, coached by five different coaches which all earned GOLD MEDALS! Clean Sweep. They all played so hard, had amazing sportsmanship and we had a great time. This is my 22nd year with the team (both of my sons play as Unified partners and this year Tyler got his girlfriend to play and I think she is hooked) and I don’t see an end in sight for the Galvan Family.

They (the teams) worked so hard at weekly practices and at the tournament. The Hartford Capitols, coached by Greg McCall, won GOLD! One game went into four over times – and they played three games back to back. These were the most anxiety producing games to watch. Some amazing basketball at this level." - Jennifer Galvan, Special Olympics Hartford Coach

Training Day Provides Athlete Leaders with Lessons, Inspiration

By Jordyn Robinson, Communications Intern

On November 4th, our Athlete Leadership Training Day brought together a remarkable assembly of 50 committed athletes who serve Special Olympics Connecticut as Global Messengers and their mentors. The event kicked off with a warm welcome from our CEO, Mike Mason, setting the tone for an inspiring day ahead. Following the opening, our audience was treated to enlightening presentations by distinguished keynote speakers, engaging breakout sessions, and an energetic Zumba session led by SOCT Board Member Lisa Kovlakas to conclude the day.

Our roster of accomplished speakers, including Valerie Jensen, Founder of the Prospector Theater, Global Messenger Robin Batchelder and Mentor Jessica Poon, Synchrony's Lisa Lansperry and DDS Dental Health Coordinator Izabella Pulvermacher, who covered a diverse range of topics including mastering the art of keynote speaking, using social media effectively, and maintaining optimal dental health. These sessions provided our athletes with invaluable insights, fostering an environment of learning, connection, and engagement. It was a day filled with opportunities for personal and professional growth, creating lasting impressions for all participants.

We appreciate all of our dedicated volunteers whose support played a vital role in bringing this event to life. The enthusiasm from our athletes and mentors made this day such a success. In addition to the experiences shared, our collective efforts resulted in a substantial collection of non-perishable canned goods. These donations were proudly contributed to Wethersfield's First Responders for their 8th Annual Food Drive by Global Messenger Justin Riker. This effort made a meaningful impact on the broader community, exemplifying the power of unity, which is what these events are all about.

Mohr to Retire At the End of the Year

Sue Mohr has worked for Special Olympics Connecticut for more than 22 years, most recently as Manager, Sports and Local Programs. Sue's roles and responsibilities have included athlete registration, sports event management and athlete leadership coordinator. She has worked at Special Olympics Connecticut headquarters and previously, at the Northwest Regional Office. Prior to that, she served as the Local Coordinator for our Special Olympics Greater Middletown Local Program.

Sue has been a well-respected, invaluable and beloved member of our staff. She will be missed when she retires at the end of the year, but we look forward to seeing her at future events where she'll no doubt be cheering on her son, Tim, from the sidelines. Congratulations on your retirement and thank you for your years of dedication and vital work to enrich the lives of our athletes, Sue!

Noteworthy News

The Law Enforcement Torch Run Super Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Connecticut, an annual event during which participants plunge into the cold waters every hour for 24 consecutive hours, took place November 18th and 19th. The event took place at the Westbrook Elks Lodge.

Participants in this year's Super Plunge included Detective Anthony Bongiovanni, Officer Brandon Caires, Lieutenant Erik Gutsfeld, Sergeant Joe Smith, Officer Joshua Cheney and Sergeant Steven Morgan from the Rocky Hill Police Department, Sergeant Connor Martin from Hartford HealthCare, Officer Erin Connole from the Avon Police Department, Captain Joe Carlone from the Connecticut Department of Corrections (retired), Sergeant Nikki Mordasiewicz from the Hartford Police Department, Brian Meyer, John Chandler, Renee DiNino from iHeart Radio/ The River 105.9 FM and Jamie Sienna, a member of the Rocky Hill Elks. Additional members of the Connecticut Elks participated in the 24th and final Plunge. For Martin, Sienna, Smith and Cheney, it was the first time they completed the Super Plunge. The others have accomplished the feat in prior years. The event raised over $33,000!

The Knights of Columbus presented a generous donation to Special Olympics Connecicut President & CEO Mike Mason to support our Special Olympics Naugatuck Local Program. In photo, l to r: Matt Katra, Faithful Navigator; Phil White, Grand Knight; Mike; Norman Chouinard, Deputy Grand Knight; Mark Dandeneau, Inside Guard; Jim Hankey, Treasurer; and Dave Whidden, Chancellor.

Thanks to the dedication and efforts of great friends at Enterprise, the golf tournament they held this year to benefit our athletes raised over $69,000 - more than the event has ever raised before! Global Messenger Vincent Acquaotta and SOCT's Sharon Rozum were on hand for the check presentation. Enterprise is also a Special Olympics Connecticut Partner Sponsor.

We are grateful for the support we receive from the National Guard. Members of the Guard participated in our Unified Sports® Holiday Classic by presenting medals and ribbons to our athletes and Unified partners, who are always thrilled to receive their awards from these heroes. In photo, Staff Sargeant Chanhda Ly presenting medals at our USHC basketball event at Quinnpiac University.

We're thankful for the generous support we receive from Liberty Bank. Special Olympics Connecticut's Sharon Rozum recently visited Liberty Bank and presented Lindsay Torres, Marketing Assistant, with a token of our gratitude for the Bank's sponsorship of both our 2023 Unified Sports® Fall Festival and Unified Sports® Holiday Classic!

Global Messengers John F., Karla F., John B., Robin B. and Jake S. participated in a "Night of Thanks" event at the Special Olympics office on December 4th.

During the "Night of Thanks", the athlete leaders signed thank you cards for our wonderful donors to let them know how much their generosity is appreciated!

Members of the UConn Special Olympics College Club hosted a Unified Cornhole Tournament for our athletes that was sponsored by UConn Community Outreach and held on November 11th. More than 40 UConn volunteers helped to provide our athletes and their family members with a wonderful day of fun and friendship!

Athletes from our Special Olympics Hartford and Mansfield-Tolland local programs and Global Messengers from our Athlete Leadership program were treated to seats at the UConn Men's Basketball game at the XL Center on November 24th. The donation of tickets was made possible through the kindness and generosity of SOCT Board Chair Matt Necci and UConn Athletics.

Special Olympics Connecticut CIAC staff members hosted a delegation of educators from Russia at Farmington High School's Unified Sports® soccer tournament on November 8th. The delegation visited the US to learn more about ways to include all students in sports and physical activities. Their visit was made possible by a US State Department grant and facilitated by the Ryan Martin Foundation.

Plan to Plunge in '24

Registration is now open for the Penguin Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Connecticut! Form your team and sign up here!

Annual Awards Dinner Set for March 19th

Our Annual Awards Dinner hosted by the Bozzuto and Calvanese Families which will take place at The Aqua Turf Club on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 6 to 9 p.m. To view the Save-the-Date announcment and order tickets when they beccome available in January, click here.

End of Year Opportunity to Support Our Athletes!

Special Olympics athletes in are counting on you for their chance to get in the game in 2024. Will you show your support with a year-end gift?

All gifts made December 29th through December 31st will be MATCHED 3X! To make an end-of-year gift, please donate here. Thank you and have a happy and healthy New Year!

Get Tickets for the Bender Classic, January 20th

Officers from the Newtown and UConn Police Departments will face off on the hockey rink at the UConn - Toscano Family Ice Forum during their annual event to benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Connecticut on Saturday, January 20th at 5:25 p.m.! The Toscano Family Ice Forum is located at 523 Jim Calhoun Way in Storrs. For details and tickets, click here.

Free Resources to Care for Loved Ones

To show our appreciation for all you’ve done for Special Olympics Connecticut, we would like to offer you something in return. Something we hope will have a positive impact on you and your family. If you’re like many people, creating or updating your will, trust and other important documents is something that often falls to the bottom of the to-do list. But planning can help you care for your loved ones and offer significant peace of mind. And it doesn’t have to be complicated.

We hope our free publications will help you get started. Some of the information available includes:

Considerations for taking care of a loved one with special needs, parents or elder family members
Tips for choosing an executor
Creating an Advance Care Directive
Why you need a digital estate plan

You’ll find a complete list of free publications here.

Thank you to our Partner Sponsors:

Thank you to our Year-Round Suppliers:

Visit soct.org.