Our Area Bowling competitions took place the past few months, and now it is officially time for State Bowling. On Saturday, November 17th our Annual State Bowling competition will take place in four locations. Bowling is one of the most popular sports in Special Olympics. Athletes may participate in: singles, doubles, team (four-person), unified doubles (one SOIA athlete with one Unified partner), or a unified team (two SOIA athletes with two Unified partners). Registrations were due on
Friday, October 19th
. *please note that lunch will not be provided during the state bowling competition.
2018 State Bowling locations:
- Westdale Bowl, 2020 Scotty Dr, Cedar Rapids
- Bowlerama, 1313 E Diehl Ave, Des Moines
- Merle Hay Lanes, 3800 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines
- Thunderbowl, 1900 Madison Ave, Council Bluffs
We are still looking for volunteers
in the Cedar Rapids and
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Our Annual
Tailgate for Teammates
event took place on Saturday, October 6th at the Sheraton Hotel in West Des Moines. This event
offered a sense of camaraderie, inclusion and pride among athletes and their supporters. The evening included upscale tailgate cuisine, fun and festive sports-themed activities, and a silent auction. A grand total of $53,000 was raised.
Thank you to those who donated and supported this event.
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The 2018
State Volleyball
Tournament was held on October 6th at Iowa State University in Ames. 31 teams and 248 athletes from across Iowa participated in the one day tournament. First round games were held in the morning. A single elimination with consolation bracket and round-robin format was followed for award placement in the afternoon.
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The 2018
State Flag Football
Tournament was held on October 13th at the Metro Youth Football Complex in Cedar Rapids. 11 traditional teams and three Unified Sports teams participated in the one day tournament. All teams played two games during the tournament.
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Ready, set, FREEZE!
Our Polar Plunges
®
have begun! Are you brave enough to face the cold and help raise money for Special Olympics Iowa? Check out the list of Fall Polar Plunges
®
below:
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Fall Polar Plunge
®
Dates:
Davenport
- Saturday, October 27, West Lake Park Beach
Siouxland
- Saturday, October 27, Brown's Lake, Salix
Dubuque
- Saturday, November 17, Dubuque Water Sports Club
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UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Iowa
, a premier statewide partner and sponsor of
Special Olympics Iowa
, is excited to be at the State Bowling Tournament on November 17, 2018 (they will be at each location). Be sure to stop by their resource table to say hello and learn more about their health plans. In addition to cheering on bowlers, they will answer questions about Iowa Medicaid and
UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete®
,
a type of health plan that helps people who have both Medicare and Medicaid.
Called a “dual” plan because people are “dual-eligible,”
UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete®
offers more benefits than what people receive on Original Medicare and Medicaid. The additional benefits are at no extra cost.
Who can join?
· Do they have Medicaid?
· Do they have Medicare Parts A and B?
· Do they live in the service area?
o
Currently,
UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete®
is in seven counties in Central Iowa. In 2019, the plan will expand to 47 more Iowa counties and prospective members can enroll now.
Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract and a contract with the State Medicaid Program. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare.
For accommodations of persons with special needs at meetings e-mail
Nancy
or
Kyle
.
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Sioux City Young Athlete Play Day
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The Sioux City Young Athlete Play Day was held on October 11th at the Long Lines Family Events Center. 64 athletes from the Sioux City and Okoboji Schools attended. 130 freshman students and teachers from Bishop Heelan High School volunteered and assisted with activities. Thank you to Bishop Heelan High School for your continued support and volunteer efforts.
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Dubuque and River Hills Challenge Days
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The Dubuque Challenge Day was held on October 19th at Loras College. 63 athletes from Hills and Dales Group Home, Manchester-West Delaware School District and an independent registrant participated. 76 volunteers from Loras College Athletics, a Global Messenger and the Dubuque Racing Association assisted with the activities. The students from Loras are a wonderful addition to this program.
The River Hills Challenge Day was held on Friday, October 26th at River Hills School in Cedar Falls. 35 athletes and 16 student volunteers from Gladbrook Reinbeck Schools participated in the event. Unique to this Challenge Day, 16 students from River Hills School also volunteered to help their fellow classmates participate in the adaptive sports activities.
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Starting November 9th and running through November 15th,
Kwik Star
stores across Iowa will sell icons in support of Special Olympics Iowa.
Customers can purchase a paper icon for just $1 each, sign their names on the icon and display them in their local Kwik Star to show support of our athletes.
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The
Truck Convoy
was held on Saturday, October 6th. Over 100 trucks participated and overall, over $50,000 was raised. Law enforcement officers escorted the trucks 20 miles from Exit 101 (Veterans Pkwy) off of Highway 5 to the Iowa State Fairgrounds for a post party at Jalapeno Pete's. We were blown away by the generosity during the lead truck auction! Niece Trucking, M & M Cartage and TMC Transportation bid over $20,000 collectively to be the first, second and third trucks in the Convoy.
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Athlete Leadership Conference
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The
Athlete Leadership
Conference is coming up on Friday November 9
th
and Saturday November 10
th
. This is for all current Global Messengers and Speech Coaches as well as those wanting to become a Global Messenger. There are 3 spots left for new Global Messengers and Speech Coaches. All registrations were due by October 24
th
.
Click here
for more information and registration forms. All questions should be directed to
Wendy Olinger
.
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Congratulations to Gary from Dubuque on winning the 2018 Truck Raffle. Thank you to all that purchased tickets!
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Dunkin' Donuts Cop on a Rooftop
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A Check Presentation was held at the
Dunkin' Donuts
location in Marshalltown to celebrate our 4th Annual
Dunkin' Donuts
#coponarooftop event that took place in September. Over $30,000 was raised for Special Olympics Iowa, making Dunkin' Donuts officially a Premier Statewide Partner for Special Olympics Iowa! Marshalltown was the highest raising store in 2018, raising $3,522.02. Thank you to everyone who donated, supported, and assisted in this fundraising event!
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“Fall into Fitness” is a walking club designed to enable Special Olympics Iowa athletes and Unified Partners opportunities to become more active. Miles/activity will be recorded on a
bi-weekly basis for a 10 week period. Miles will be used in a competition and incentives based format. Individuals and teams with the highest average miles will receive awards at the conclusion of “Fall into Fitness.” In addition the 5-station FIT Program pre- and post-assessments will be completed to record fitness progress. This is a 10-week program that began October 2nd and ended December 6th. If you have questions about this program, please email
Hannah Clavell.
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2018 marks 50 years for the Special Olympics. That means 50 years of our volunteers, staff, and supporters working tirelessly to achieve our mission – a world without discrimination. A world where individuals with intellectual disabilities can tap their untold potential and live their lives to the fullest.
Special Olympics Iowa asks you to join us in celebrating 50 years of bliss, bravery and empowerment by donating in our
$50 for 50 campaign
in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Special Olympics. With each $50 donation, donors will get their choice of a limited-edition commemorative 50th Anniversary Gold Pin or Gold Coin.
Special Olympics Iowa is so proud of what has been accomplished over the past 50 years. With 5 million served in over 172 countries, we have changed many lives all over the world. Help us continue to make a difference in athlete’s lives.
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Karaoke Night at Jeannie's Bottle
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Athletes are invited to Jeannie's Bottle for a karaoke night on Tuesday, November 13th from 4-7 p.m.
Date:
Tuesday, November 13th
Location:
3839 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines, IA
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Discounted Iowa Tickets for SOIA Athletes
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The Iowa Hawkeyes invite all Special Olympics Iowa athletes and their families to enjoy the excitement of Iowa Hawkeye football this fall. Take advantage of discounted group rates to five home games. Youth tickets are only $25 for high school ages and younger. Adult ticket prices vary for each game.
Game Options:
November 10
– Iowa vs Northwestern. Time: TBA. Regular ticket price: $65
Adult Tickets: $55. Youth Tickets: $25.
November 23
– Iowa vs Nebraska. Time: TBA. Regular ticket price: $75
Adult Tickets: $60. Youth Tickets: $25.
Orders will be seated together. Orders are filled on a first come, first serve basis. Game may be subject to sellout. Tickets are mailed 2-4 weeks prior to each game. For questions or to order by phone, contact Bravo Sports at 319-626-8286.
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Coaches' Guide Available Online!
The 2018-2019 SOIA Coaches' Guide is now available on our
website
!
Trainings
Getting involved as a coach and re-certification is now easier than ever!
Check out our new "Become a Coach" page:
You can now become certified/re-certified
ONLINE
!
Registration Forms Available Online
Registration forms for Challenge Days and Young Athlete Play Days are now available online! Go to the
Participation Forms
page on our website to view registration forms for all SOIA events.
Share Your Story!
Do you know someone with a great story to share? We're always looking to share our athletes' stories in the newsletter. If you have a story idea for us about an athlete, coach, volunteer, or family please email Rachel Bosworth at
[email protected]
for a chance for them to be featured in the newsletter!
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Event Calendar
November
4- Fort Dodge Polar Plunge
8- Muscatine Young Athlete Play Day
9- Athlete Leadership Conference
13- SW Area Unified Sport Training Day (Treynor)
15- NW Area Unified Sport Training Day (Cherokee)
16- NE Rollerskating
17- State Bowling
17- Dubuque Polar Plunge
26 - NAIA Volleyball Special Olympics Clinic
30- Council Bluffs Young Athlete Play Day
December
2- West Des Moines Polar Plunge
8- Cornell College Unified Sports Day
15- 12 Bars of Charity
15- Pistol Shoot Fundraiser
January
10- Southwest Area Basketball Skils
14-15 Winter Games
19- East Area Conference Basketball (Team & Skills)
19- South Central Area Basketball Skills
24- North Area Basketball Skills
24- West Central Area Basketball Skills (Ages 8-21)
26- West Central Area Basketball Skills (Ages 22+)
26- NW Area Basketball Skills
26- Norwalk Dodgeball Fundraiser
30- Central Area Basketball Skills
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