Special Olympics Colorado



	Click to enlarge photo		Wal-Mart Donation Benefits SOCO Special Olympics Colorado is the beneficiary of a $50,000 grant from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. The grant is being awarded through Wal-Mart’s State Giving program, where managers and associates from across the state evaluate applications and determine the gifts. Special Olympics is the first organization in Colorado to benefit from this program. “We are absolutely delighted to be the recipient of this substantial donation from Wal-Mart,” said Mindy Watrous, President & CEO of Special Olympics Colorado. “Together we will provide a venue for health and fitness through sports to a population, which is oftentimes left on the sideline.” More...



			Mark Your Calendars for Saturday, Nov. 1!!! Be a part of history by participating in the Chick-fil-A Charity Dodgeball Tournament, benefitting Special Olympics Colorado. This inaugural event will take place Saturday, November 1st at the Phil Long Expo Center in Colorado Springs. The tournament format includes divisions for youth and adults with great prizes to be awarded to top finishers. You do not want to miss being part of this exciting event. Registration deadline is October 15th. More... Download a Registration Form here.


	Special Olympics Protests Movie Special Olympics, along with a coalition of national disability organizations, is mounting a grass-roots campaign to protest the film "Tropic Thunder." Its use of the inflammatory word “retard” and demeaning portrayal of people with intellectual disabilities has prompted a powerful outcry against the film. More... We ask you to help spread awareness about the R-word campaign and voice your displeasure with the hurtful content depicted in the film "Tropic Thunder." Join the R word campaign. Be a fan of Dignity! Don't say the R-word!		Volunteer Orientation September 6th Volunteer orientations provide valuable information to old and new volunteers who have not yet attended an orientation. Please join us for the upcoming volunteer orientation on Saturday, September 6th, from 10am - 12pm at the Denver Newspaper Agency production facility located at 5990 North Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216. If you can attend, please rsvp to Mandi DeWitt by email or at 720-359-3117.
	Colorado's Amanda Bamman Featured in Coca Cola Olympics Ad Special Olympics athletes, including Colorado’s Amanda Bamman of Boulder (Northeast Area), are featured as part of the television ad lineup during the Beijing Olympic Games August 8-24. The Coca-Cola Company, a Global Partner of Special Olympics, has produced a commercial themed around supporting Olympic dreams. The commercial shows Special Olympic athletes receiving medals along with former Olympians and Special Olympics supporters, including Nadia Comaneci, Carl Lewis and Rafer Johnson. Bamman joins Alex Darling and Christina Schell of Special Olympics Washington plus Paul Nimmich of Special Olympics South Carolina as the Special Olympics athletes featured in the commercial. The commercial is posted on the Special Olympics web site.		Polar Plunge – Freezin’ For A Reason Coming Saturday, November 15, 2008… Check back soon for more information and get ready to DIVE IN! Can’t wait? Watch Plunges on YouTube! Click here to watch a Special Olympics Wisconsin’s 2007 Plunge and here to watch a 2008 Virginia Plunge!
	Attention all SOCO Volunteers… Immediate Attention Required! Special Olympics Inc. developed the *Protective Behaviors Training* as a tool to assist with protecting Special Olympics athletes from abuse. While the Protective Behaviors Training is only a requisite for Class A Volunteers and staff, for the safety and health of our athletes and everyone involved with Special Olympics Colorado, we encourage anyone interested in taking the training to do so: families, athletes, day-of volunteers, etc. It requires the assistance of everyone involved in our organization to help keep our athletes safe from abuse. Special Olympics Colorado will keep a record of everyone who takes the training. Class A Volunteers are required to take the Protective Behaviors training once every 3 years – thank you for your cooperation. Take the online training now...		Major League Lacrosse Helping Special Olympics Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, and New Balance announced a partnership to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics. New Balance offered 40 limited-edition Chinese Dragon themed jerseys worn by the MLL All-Stars then signed and auctioned online with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Special Olympics. All proceeds will go towards the 2010 Special Olympics National Games, which will take place in July in Nebraska and will feature approximately 4,000 athletes and coaches competing over seven days. The New Balance Foundation has generously agreed to match the amount raised by the auction.
	Community Health CharitiesSOCO is part of Community Health Charities of Colorado (CHC) – a workplace giving program that supports non-profit health agencies. CHC is a collaborative effort of 43 Colorado based health charities. CHC offers their member charities and campaign partners the power of efficient fundraising through payroll contribution. Workplace giving lets you spread out your donation over an entire year, allowing you to be more generous without ever writing a check. Ask your company about giving to SOCO through CHC. More...		SOCO Partners with the Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is enhancing its partnership with the Special Olympics organizations in each of the seven states in the league’s geographic footprint. This includes Colorado! SOCO is very excited about the partnership! More...