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2012 Beaver Stadium Run In Honor of Joe Paterno
Just announced! Celebrate the life and legacy of Joe Paterno by becoming a part of "Team Paterno" for the 2012 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Beaver Stadium Run!
Online Registration is open for the event, which will be held in honor of Joe Paterno on Sunday, April 22 during Blue White Weekend at State College. In celebration of Joe Pa's life, the Run will now feature five new incentive levels linked to his greatest achievements both on and off the field.
Over the course of two decades, Joe and Sue Paterno have been significant fans of Special Olympics Pennsylvania through both financial and volunteer support. Joe has served as an Honorary Chair for our Summer Games, spoken during special events, and endorsed the participation of his Penn State football team at Special Olympics events. Sue Paterno began her more than 20 year labor of love with Special Olympics athletes in 1989 by joining the Board of Directors. Their commitments to our athletes have been unwavering, and we will use this year's Run to honor Joe Paterno. We have just created an opportunity for everyone to celebrate his life by joining "Team Paterno." Click here to learn more. |
2012 Polar Plunges
The Inaugural Laurel Highlands Polar Plunge held at the Quemahoning Reservoir (the Que), in Boswell, PA on Saturday, February 11, 2012 raised more than $45,000 and hosted more than 185 brave plungers. Celebrity Plungers WJAC TV's Jim Burton and Froggy 95 radio personality Bubba Conner also took part in the plunge at the Que! Click here to learn more, read news coverage, view pictures and more!
The Fourth Annual Eastern Polar Plunge held at Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem, PA on Saturday, January 28, 2012 raised over $160,000 and hosted more than 700 plungers. Celebrity Plunger Dan Klecko, a defensive tackle who has been a part of three Super Bowl Champion teams and is a current SportsRadio 94 WIP co-host, helped to kick the event off. Click here to learn more, read news coverage, view pictures and more!
In addition, the Harrisburg Plunge brought in approximately $229K and the York County Plunge made more than $120K. Factoring in the $260K that the Pittsburgh Plunge raised in December, the 2011-2012 Plunge season totaled to more than $750,000!
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2012 Capitol Hill Day
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Pictured from left to right: Terri Jagielski and SOPA athlete Chris Jagielski stand with Congressman Tim Murphy representing the 18th District of PA while holding a 2012 Pittsburgh Polar Plunge "Terrible Towel" Beach Towel. |
On February 8, 2012, a delegation of Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) and Best Buddies Pennsylvania representatives traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the annual Capitol Hill Day. Each year on this day, Special Olympics and Best Buddies join forces to speak directly with members of Congress and make sure people with intellectual disabilities are top of the mind when critical decisions are made for the country.
Participants included SOPA athlete Chris Jagielski and his mother Terri Jagielski; SOPA Board Member Tom Baker; SOPA Western PA Director of Development Kraig Mahokus; Jenny Zhong of Special Olympics International Project Unify; and Allison Wolkin of Best Buddies Pennsylvania. Click here for more information.
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2012 State Floor Hockey
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Credit: Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times |
More than 350 athletes and 130 coaches participated in the 2012 Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) State Floor Hockey Tournament from March 3-4, 2012. This statewide competition returned to the Bald Eagle Area High (BEA) School District in Wingate, PA for the 6th consecutive year. Click here to read event coverage from Centre Daily Times.
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Winter Games 2012
More than 300 athletes and 135 coaches traveled to the 2012 Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) Winter Games in Johnstown, PA from February 12-14th. This statewide competition returned to the Johnstown area for the 11th consecutive year and featured competition in alpine and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and figure and speed skating.
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Lycoming County athlete Anthony Fischetti (at center), winner of the GEICO Spirit Award at the 2012 Winter Games, was nominated by coaches Lester Loner and Ginny Boyles. |
Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) announced that Anthony Fischetti, a Lycoming County athlete, received the GEICO Spirit Award during the 2012 Winter Games in Johnstown, PA. The GEICO Award acknowledges the outstanding energy, determination and enthusiasm that it takes for an athlete to get to the Winter Games.
Click here to learn more, read event news coverage, view pictures and more!
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| In The Game: Austin's Story
Check out the below documentary on Special Olympics PA, Centre County athlete Austin Bowen who participates in basketball, track, bowling, and softball. The video was produced by Rachel Polansky, a Penn State student and news an anchor for In The Game. In The Game is a professional- quality sports magazine show shot in high definition and distributed on WPSU-TV.
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In The Game: Austin's Story |
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2012 Scarf Project a HUGE Success!
Special Olympics Pennsylvania is pleased to announce that it received more than 2,000 hand-knit scarves through the 2012 Special Olympics USA Scarf Project. Thanks to the support of hundreds across the state of Pennsylvania and beyond, our Winter Games and State Floor Hockey Tournament athletes, coaches, families and volunteers wore the scarves as a symbol of unity, support, compassion and empowerment. Keep your eyes and ears open for details about the 2013 Scarf Project by visiting www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org. |
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Spread the Word!
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Special Olympics Pennsylvania athlete Katie Moore and 76ers Point Guard Jrue Holiday. |
The NBA has a longstanding partnership with Special Olympics, which includes sponsorships of basketball tournaments, the creation of public service announcements and NBA player participation in Special Olympic events. Members of the Philadelphia 76ers, including Forward Elton Brand and Point Guard Jrue Holiday, have signed up to be a part of the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign.
Wednesday, March 7th was National Awareness Day for the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign. In support of the campaign, Jrue Holiday teamed up with Special Olympics Pennsylvania athlete Katie Moore to record a PSA to promote the campaign and encourage everyone to make a pledge to stop using the R-word.
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SOPA and the 76ers Spread the Word |
For more information on Spread the Word to End the Word and to pledge your support to end use of the R-word, please visit r-word.org.
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Special Olympics and the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Partnership
On February 4, 2012, Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) Bucks County athletes visited Delaware Valley College to participate in their Fall Athletic Recognition Day during halftime of the Aggie women's basketball game against Eastern University.
SOPA Athletes David McNaney and Stephanie Walther helped Delaware Valley College President Dr. Joseph S. Brosnan and Middle Atlantic Conference Executive Director Ken Andrews recognize and congratulate
the student-athletes who received all-conference, all-academic, and all-sportsmanship accolades as well as regional and national honors.
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Special Olympics Pennsylvania Bucks County athletes David McNaney and Stephanie Walther helped Delaware Valley College President Dr. Joseph S. Brosnan honor student-athletes at Fall Athletic Recognition Day on February 4th. |
The Bucks County program's involvement in the event was part of an effort to build upon the official partnership established between Special Olympics and the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The relationship between the two sports organizations will be ongoing for the remainder of the 2011-2012 academic year and will involve collaborations between NCAA Division III conferences and Special Olympics local programs throughout the nation.
Special Olympics Pennsylvania Bucks County and Delaware Valley College teamed up as part of this campaign, to demonstrate that athletes from the two organizations can build friendships and work together to promote the positive values of sport.
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Sheetz, Inc. - Statewide Sponsor
Special Olympics Pennsylvania's (SOPA) 2012 Winter Games were held in the Johnstown, PA area from February 12 - 14, 2012. Sheetz, GEICO, UPMC, The Palumbo Charitable Trust, and The Jack Buncher Foundation were the primary sponsors of this year's event. Sheetz, Special Olympics Pennsylvania's premiere state-wide sponsor, presented a check in the amount of $150,000 during the Winter Games VIP Reception on February 12th. Click here to see more of SOPA's generous supporters.
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Back Row: Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) President and CEO Matt Aaron; SOPA Board Member and Sheetz VP of IT Jim Wenner; and current SOPA Board Chairman Tony Gillespie. Front Row: Butler County athlete Timothy Spence; Blair County athlete Jennifer McCahan; Blair County athlete Joseph Lyle; and former SOPA Board Chairman and Sheetz Executive Buddy Casado. |
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| Be a fan of Special Olympics PA | |
"Be a Fan" Today! 
When you Sponsor an Athlete, you transform a life. Share the Joy of Victory and the Promise of Acceptance. Your contribution will help an athlete gain confidence, boost self-esteem and build lasting friendships.
Special Olympics Pennsylvania continues its "Be a Fan" Today! Campaign geared toward the current and new generation of volunteers, coaches, athletes and financial supporters. Through the creation of the www.BeaFanToday.org website, local programs can raise money in support of their athletes through the "Sponsor an Athlete" tab. Visit www.BeaFanToday.org and click on "Sponsor an Athlete!"
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Call To Action!
Spread the Word to End the Word™
is an ongoing effort by Special Olympics, Best Buddies International and our supporters 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.
The campaign, created by youth, is intended to engage schools organizations and communities to rally and pledge their support at www.r-word.org and to promote the inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities.
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2012 Statewide Polar Plunge Sponsor
Click here
for a complete list of sponsors for the Laurel Highlands Plunge.
Click here
for Eastern Polar Plunge sponsors.
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2012 Winter Games and State Floor Hockey Sponsors
Concurrent Technologies Corporation
Marquette Savings Bank
Pasquerilla Enterprises
A. J. & Sigismunda Palumbo Charitable Trust
The Jack Buncher Foundation
Planet Ice
John E. and Sue M. Jackson Charitable Trust
Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.
Wyss Foundation
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Athlete's Quote
"Close your eyes and imagine a sunset. Think about all the colors you see. Isn't it beautiful? Now imagine that same sunset without all the beautiful colors. That's what my life would look like without Special Olympics. It would be colorless. Special Olympics puts color in the lives of athletes and volunteers. No one with a disability will have to lead a black and white life."
~Tim Spence, Special Olympics Pennsylvania Athlete.
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Up-Coming Events
Central Bowling Sectional
March 24, 2012
Harrisburg and
Mechanicsburg, PA
Western Bowling Sectional
March 24, 2012
Pittsburgh, PA
Eastern Bowling Sectional
April 1, 2012
Allentown, PA
Central Spring Sectional
April 22, 2012
St. Francis University
Loretto, PA
Beaver Stadium Run
April 22, 2012
State College, PA
Western Spring Sectional
April 29, 2012
Clarion University
Clarion, PA
Eastern Spring Sectional
May 5, 2012
Kutztown University
Kutztown, PA
Hall of Fame Dinner
May 16, 2012
Hyatt Regency at Penn's
Landing
Philadelphia, PA
6K on the Busway Run/Walk
May 27, 2012
Port Authority Busway
Carnegie, PA 15106
"Be a Fan" Torch Run
June 5-7 2012
Culminating in
State College, PA
Summer Games
June 7-9, 2012
Penn State University
State College, PA
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