Students Kick-off a New (Academic) Year of Playing Unified Sports®

Through Special Olympics Connecticut's longstanding partnership with the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC), more than 5,000 students of all abilities will unite to play sports at their schools this academic year - giving each an opportunity to get off the sidelines and make their mark in middle and high school sports.

Many upperclass Unified teammates kicked off the academic year by recruiting players and forming new friendships to grow their teams. We can't wait to see what these teams can do - as they participate in track & field, basketball, soccer, bowling and cornhole - and how they'll demonstrate that inclusion leads to success, understanding and enrichment for all! Participating in Special Olympics Unified Sports® in schools can be the beginning of a lifetime of participation, as going on to join our local programs is encouraged!

We’re proud to announce that five schools in our state have been named National Banner Unified Champion Schools for the 2023-24 academic year for their commitment to inclusion: Westbrook Middle School (new) and Rocky Hill High School, Valley Regional High School of Deep River, Pomperaug High School of Southbury and Whisconier Middle School of Brookfield (renewal recipients).

Each has met 10 standards of excellence as determined by Special Olympics North America, focusing on Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole school engagement. To find out more about this distinction, click here.

Students who play Unified Sports® at their schools will gather at our annual Unified Champion Schools Youth Leadership Summit presented by CIAC at Rocky Hill High School on November 1st.

New Staff Members Will Support Unified Sports® in Schools

By Jordyn Robinson, Intern

We are proud to announce that Kathy Davey and Steve Trifone have joined our staff.

Kathy Davey is a new Assistant Director of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Special Olympics Unified Sports® Program. In this role,

she will organize and run events for teams across the state, as well as provide assistance to programs that may need help with their athletics.

Kathy's involvement with Unified Sports® began during her days as a high school teacher. She took the initiative to help start the Unified Sports® program at Newtown High School, and it's here that her path intersected with CIAC.

For 24 years, Kathy served as a Physical Education and Health teacher at Newtown High School. She was deeply committed to education and made significant contributions by starting the “Fit For Life” class at Newtown High School. A few years later, with the help of her colleague, she launched the Unified program based on the principles of that class.

Beyond her professional life, Kathy is a loving wife and a proud mother of two. Her connection to helping people with intellectual disabilities goes back to her college days at the University of Delaware, where she was involved in swimming programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities. It's clear that her passion for inclusion has been a guiding force throughout her life.

Steve Trifone is also a new Assistant Director of the CIAC Special Olympics Unified Sports® program. In his new role, he will organize and run events for Unified teams across the state. But his goal doesn't stop there; he's also determined to recruit more schools to join the Unified Sports movement, offering support and guidance to teams who may need assistance with organizing sports and practices.

With 35 years of experience, including 20 years as an athletic director at Cheshire High School, Steve brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to this remarkable endeavor. His journey into Unified Sports® began during his years at Cheshire High School, where he played a pivotal role in launching the school's very own Unified team. Witnessing the joy and excitement radiating from the athletes and partners in these teams inspired him deeply, planting the seed for his continued involvement.

With four kids, three of whom are coaches, Steve's life is truly filled with the love of sports and the joys of family. Interestingly, all four of his children were involved in the Unified Sports® program, serving as partners to the athletes. It's a family affair that speaks volumes about the impact of Unified Sports on those who participate. The success stories and the passion displayed by the athletes and partners inspire him daily, reminding us all that Unified Sports is about playing for the love of the sport and the shared spirit of unity.

Connecticut Athletes Shine at Special Olympics North America Golf Championship

Special Olympics Connecticut was one of 19 Special Olympics programs from the US and Canada represented at the 22nd Annual Special Olympics North America Golf Championship which took place at the Seaview Golf Club in Galloway, New Jersey, October 2nd - 5th. Five athletes, one Unified partner, one caddie and two coaches from Connecticut were among the more than 200 participants at the event.

Golfers Andrew McMillan, David Dennin, Mike Hedrick and Remi Pagan, from Special Olympics Trumbull, and Unified teammates Anthony Thibeault and Dale Ackerley, from Special Olympics Cheshire, all took home medals. Andrew won bronze, Dale and Anthony, silver, and Mike, Remi and David, gold.

Unified Sports® Holiday Classic Set for November 18th and 19th

Our Annual Unified Sports® Holiday Classic, presented by the Connecticut Elks Association, will take place on Saturday, November 18th and Sunday, November 19th. Sports and locations will include bowling at Bowlero Lanes, Milford and AMF Circle Lanes, East Haven, Unified Sports® basketball at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, powerlifting at Gleason Performance Training in Derby and Unified Sports® volleyball at Hamden Hall Beckerman Athletic Center in Hamden. The Special Olympics Unified Sports program brings people with and without intellectual disabilities together on the same team to promote acceptance, opportunity and inclusion for all.

Healthy Athletes® offerings will include Special Smiles (dental screenings) at our volleyball venue on Saturday and basketball venue on Sunday and Strong Minds (activities that promote positive thinking, stress release and connecting with others) at basketball on both days.

In addition to the Connecticut Elks, who will volunteer at our volleyball venue, Unified Sports® Holiday Classic sponsors include:

Miller Is Special Olympics Connecticut's New Senior Director, Donor Impact

By Jordyn Robinson, Intern

Christy Miller is our new Senior Director of Donor Impact. In this role, she will work with individual donors to understand what is most important to them and to ensure their contributions are allocated as they wish.

Christy brings many years of experience working for a non-profit organization to her position at Special Olympics Connecticut, along with a passion for fitness and sports. In her previous job with First Tee Connecticut,

an organization that teaches kids and teens life skills through the game of golf, her focus was development and communications. She also coached children, ages five and six. Growing up living with an aunt who had intellectual disabilities ignited Christy's empathy and desire to make a difference in the world. During her high school and college years, Christy had many teachers who also made a lasting impression on her, which inspired her to become a teacher.

Christy teaches Facilities in Event Management at the University of Hartford as an adjunct professor and is driven by the enthusiasm of her students and her passion for the topic. When she's not working, Christy is a dedicated runner who has participated in 22 marathons. She also supports the Hartford Marathon.

We're lucky to have Christy in the Donor Impact role where she will continue to make a positive impact in the communities we serve.

Noteworthy News

The sold-out 22nd Annual Special Olympics Connecticut Golf Tournament hosted by Eversource and Foxwoods Resort Casino and run by a phenomenal volunteer committee led by Nick Foligno and Al Pollock took place at the Lake of Isles Golf Resort on September 18th. Despite the persistent rain, the event raised over $150,000! SOCT Athletes Skylar Parciak and Andrew Szczesny and NBC Connecticut's Bob Maxon participated and BluRoc was the Title Sponsor.

The annual Susan Saint James Poker Tournament to benefit our local programs took place at Foxwoods Resort Casino on September 17th. Among the 80 participants were Susan Saint James, Emeritus Board Member, and SOCT's Dave Pellino who made it to the final round. Tournament winners were Matt Moreau - 1st place, Ethan Murray - 2nd place and John Brown - 3rd place.

SOCT athletes enjoyed an afternoon at the UConn football home game on September 23rd thanks to the Husky Ticket Project, Inc. and SOCT Board Chair/UConn Alumnus Matt Necci.

The annual Tip-A-Cop fundraiser at Lenny's Indian Head Inn hosted by Branford police was held on September 18th and raised a record $44,000! It is the longest-running Tip-A-Cop in the state.

Members of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association teamed up with athletes from our Special Olympics North Haven program to participate in the organization's annual charity softball game. The event took place on October 2nd and raised $7,000 for SOCT.

Chick-fil-A of North Haven employees hosted a Touch-A-Truck event and friends from the North Haven Police, Fire and Public Works Departments and independent trucker Ed Rice helped fundraise. The event was held on October 4th and raised $1,300.

A Chance to Win Every Day in December

New this year! We're holding a calendar raffle and will be giving away a prize each day in December. Prizes have a value of $50 or more and include such items as restaurant and grocery store gift cards and an overnight stay at Foxwoods. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at upcoming Special Olympics events or online now by clicking here.

Score a Trip to the Superbowl

Win two tickets to Super Bowl LVII courtesy of the NFL Alumni Association Connecticut Chapter! Tickets are $100 each and may be purchased here.

No more than 250 tickets will be sold and 100% of the proceeds will benefit our athletes. Second prize is $1,000 and third, $500. Tickets must be purchased by midnight, November 1, 2023, and the prize drawing will take place following the Wreaths Across America Ceremony that will be held in Darien on Saturday, December 16, 2023. Winners will be notified by phone.

Thank you to our Partner Sponsors:

Thank you to our Year-Round Suppliers:

We welcome your feedback.