FEBRUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER

Winter Games Recap

More than 300 athletes and Unified partners competed at Winter Games in Dubuque on January 8-9. Competitions were offered in alpine and cross country skiing, snowshoeing, speed skating, figure skating, and cornhole. Students from the University of Iowa also held a snowman making competition!

Thank you for all the volunteers who helped make the events a success and congratulations to all athletes and Unified partners that competed!

VIEW RESULTS

Spring Classic

See you in the Coralville and Iowa City area for Spring Classic on March 9th! This year's Spring Classic will see hundreds of athletes competing in basketball, cheer and dance, gymnastics, and powerlifting.

The deadline to register for Spring Classic is Friday, February 16th.

REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION

Inclusion Week

MAKE A PLEDGE FOR INCLUSION

This year's Inclusion Week celebration, March 4-8, will highlight the joys of all abilities and give individuals an opportunity to share the importance of spreading inclusion. More than 120 Unified Champion Schools will celebrate Inclusion Week in their schools. We invite you to join in on the celebration by sharing about inclusion on social media or having your community participate in creative way.

Join us for an Inclusion Week Unified Sports Day at the MidAmerican Energy RecPlex in West Des Moines on Tuesday, March 5th from 10:30am-1:00pm!

Unified Sports Day provides the opportunity for athletes and Unified partners of all ages to participate in a variety of different sport skills and drill stations including football, soccer, pickleball, volleyball, cornhole, cheer and dance, and more!

Registration due by Tuesday, February 27th.

Unified Champion Schools

Special Olympics Iowa currently has 123 Unified Champion Schools, 10 of which have received National Banner recognition for going above and beyond the national standards of excellence set by Special Olympics North America.

In the class of 2023, there were a total of 203 schools across the country that received National Banner Recognition status. Of those 203, three were from Iowa. These three schools were presented their National Banner awards at the end of January.

Please join us in congratulating Davenport West High School, Central DeWitt Intermediate, and Central DeWitt Middle School on their National Banner recognition.

Central DeWitt Middle School was also named to the ESPN National Honor Roll, an award of highest distinction reserved for only one school per state for their involvement with Special Olympics and Unified Champion Schools.

LEARN MORE ABOUT UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS

Athlete Health Tip

This month's health tip comes from Global Messenger, Joshua Dobbs.

Staff Spotlight

Olin Meinders

Law Enforcement Torch Run Event Coordinator

Olin comes to Special Olympics Iowa from Des Moines Public Schools where he served as a Special Education Paraeducator. His background and previous work experience in respite care, coupled with a Disability Politics class he took while obtaining a degree in Politics and Public Relations from Drake University, fostered his passion for serving individuals with intellectual disabilities. Olin is grateful for the opportunity to continue making a positive impact on his community and promoting inclusion for individuals with IDD around the state.

New Titles, Same Great Staff

Previously Directors of Regional Field Services, Katie, Dallas, and Sydney have assumed the role of coordinating state competitions and have changed job titles!

Katie Wiese, Director of Competitions (West)

Dallas Hinkhouse, Director of Competitions (Central)

Sydney Sloan, Director of Competitions (East)

FUNDRAISING CENTRAL

Pickleball is a Big Dill

Save the date! The second annual Pickleball and Public Safety Tournament will take place on Saturday, March 16th at Life Time in Urbandale.

Registration is open to everyone. Participants will register as teams of two in one of three divisions: men's, women's, or co-ed. Awards will be given to the top 3 teams in each division.

REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION

Take the Plunge

Make a big splash and an even bigger impact! The spring Polar Plunge® season is fast approaching. Register today to be bold and get cold at one of the following locations:

March 30 - Iowa City/Cedar Rapids

April 6 - Warren County (Norwalk)

April 20 - Cedar Falls/Waterloo

TBA - Council Bluffs

REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION