Between May 21st and June 22nd the 2016 TD Tour took place. Twelve Philadelphia athletes toured the twenty-two TD bank branches in Philadelphia as well as visited corporate TD in Center City. The TD Tour is when Special Olympics athletes visit various TD Banks to thank them for their support and sponsorship throughout the year. The athletes who participated in the 2016 TD Tour are Megan Murphy, Cory Jenkins, Ryan Bogan, Daniel Amrik, Sharon Quarles, Ian Capacio, Allison “Allie” Rutizer, Craig Lawson, Joseph Yerkes, Lisa Barber, Tyreek Perkins and Adrienna Nieves.
These athletes had the opportunity to go behind the scenes of almost every TD bank they visited and see things the public cannot see. They were given the royal treatment and they could not contain their excitement. Athletes were able to talk to customers through the drive through window using a microphone, see where TD’s clients’ valuables are kept in the vault, learn what tellers do on a daily basis, assist tellers with deposits, withdrawals and other transactions, and some even got “locked” in the vault!
Each bank was extremely welcoming to our athletes providing snacks and small TD Bank themed items. Our Philadelphia athletes had a lot of fun getting to know our new TD friends and touring where they work! The smiles on their faces were contagious and the athletes had every TD worker laughing and smiling. Thank you to all of the TD Banks who hosted us and we cannot wait for next year!
Special Olympics Pennsylvania has released their SOPA 2016 – 2020 Strategic Plan.
As Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish”. Below are the strategies for each goal. Each strategy is
Special Olympics Pennsylvania has identified core values that it will use to guide behavior and decisions. These values should be lived in the day-to-day functions during training and competition as well as when making decisions for the organization.
Core values include: Health and Fitness, Respect, Inclusion, Sportsmanship, Passion and Teamwork.
An overview of Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s 2016 – 2020 Strategic Plan by President & CEO Matt Aaron for local programs.
Matt Beckman Named Athlete of the Week at TD Bank! Each week, TD Bank selects an athlete to feature and this week it’s one of our Philadelphia athletes!
Matt has has been a Special Olympics athlete for most of his life. He started when he was eight years old. Every year, his goal is to qualify for that year’s big tournament. Matt has attended Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s Fall Festival for soccer held each November at Villanova University for eight consecutive years. This year, he attended the parade held in Center City Philadelphia after the Villanova Wildcats won the NCCA Men’s Basketball National Championship. During the parade, Matt got a shout-out from Ryan Arcidiacono who yelled from the top of the bus, “Hey guys, look! That’s my friend Matt. Hey Matt!” and all the players waved and yelled, “Hey Matt, thanks, buddy!” How cool is that? Matt met Ryan two years ago at the 2014 Fall Festival when Ryan autographed one of his Villanova basketball practice jerseys and gave it to him.
Matt’s father, Walt, has been his basketball and soccer coach since he was four years old when he began playing outdoor and indoor soccer on a City of Philadelphia championship Club team. Every year, Matt and his team travel to East Stroudsburg University for the Special Olympics Eastern Fall Sectional. Leading up to the event, Matt always has one question―Will Uncle Tim, Aunt Annette, Timmy and Sean be there to cheer me and my friends on at the soccer field? And the answer is, of course!
When competing as part of the Philadelphia (2008‒2012, 2015) and Bucks County (2013-2014) Special Olympics squads, Matt has won a rainbow of ribbons and medals including, of course, a gold in soccer. He participated in the Summer Games held in June at Penn State for Basketball in 2012 with Philadelphia County, and is excited to be going back to Penn State again this June as his Philadelphia County basketball team has once again qualified.
In addition to his many years with Special Olympics, Matt is a well-known member of the Athletes Helping Athletes (AHA) Honorary Captain program in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Through this program, Matt has met hundreds of high school and college students, young men and women, athletes and scholars―all who volunteer their time, attention, support to promoting respect and inclusion for young people with challenges. The impact Matt has had on the volunteers who are part of this program has no measure, and no equal. He stays in contact with a number of former high school AHA volunteers who have continued playing sports in college, and who often invite Matt to attend their football, basketball and baseball games. He and his friends have inspired more than a few students to consider the special needs community as a career path. Matt also sings with the Autism Cares Foundation Glee club, which stages twice-a-year concerts for family and friends, and has begun performing for area n
ursing homes.
The thing that makes Matt so very special is he is always ready to meet, greet, and participate in any social situation – he is eager to introduce his new friends to his old friends! He always has a big smile on his face and is ready to go – constantly asking where’s the game, what time does the bus leave and shouting words of encouragement to his teammates such as good luck, guys, I know you can do it, and make me proud. Everyday is paradise as he lives his life in a larger-than-life fashion.
Matt’s family is extremely proud of him!
The 2016 TD Tour is Approaching! We are looking forward to visiting our twenty-two Philadelphia TD Bank Branches! We love talking and getting to know TD Employees and getting tours of the different branches and sometimes even helping customers out with their transactions!
Between Monday, May 16, 2016 and Friday, June 24th, stop by your local TD Bank to support the Special Olympics movement! For a $5 (or more) donation to Special Olympics, you will receive your choice of the “Play Unified. Live Unified” wristband OR *new this year*, a set of TD Bank’s new “2016 Special Olympics Athlete Trading Cards” at select locations! This year, TD Bank has partnered with Special Olympics to create cards featuring athletes from Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington D.C.! Each card includes an action shot of the athlete on the front and a bio and more information on a program Special Olympics offers. Special Olympics Philadelphia is very excited to have four of our athletes featured: #10 is Allie Rutizer, #21 is Dadly Thenor, #28 is Ian Capacio, and #35 is Sharon Quarles.
The 2016 Eastern Bowling Sectional was held on Sunday, April 3, 2016 in Allentown, PA. 22 of our Philadelphia athletes competed at the sectional. Our athletes joined a little over 300 other athletes from 18 counties on the eastern side of Pennsylvania for the Bowling Sectional. During Opening Ceremonies, athletes, familes and fans were entertained with the Kutz Jumping Beans from Paul W Kutz Elementary School as they showcased their jump rope abilities.
1ST PLACE |
William Devlin, Marlene Johnson |
2ND PLACE |
Michael O’Donnell, Russell Barndt |
3RD PLACE |
Jennifer Wetzel, Robert Duffy, Kayla Walter, Christina Divergilis, Jeremiah Spruill |
4TH PLACE |
Keith Collins, Edmund Zakrocki, Sheila Stevens |
5TH PLACE |
Ian Capacio, Matthew Kosman |
6TH PLACE |
Sharon Quarles, Kelsey Grindrod, Emmanuel Cook, John Kulpa |
Lauren Trumbull for DeSales to Host Special Olympics Bowling Event
Spread the Word to End the Word is an ongoing effort by Special Olympics, Best Buddies and our supporters to inspire respect and acceptance through raising the consciousness of society about the R-word and how hurtful words and disrespect can be toward people with intellectual disabilities.
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 and developmental disabilities.
The annual day of awareness is held the first Wednesday of every March – in 2016, Spread the Word to End the Word will fall on March 2nd. While most activities are centered on or near that annual day in March, people everywhere can help spread the word throughout their communities and schools year-round thru pledge drives, youth rallies and online activation.
Spread the Word to End the Word was founded by college students Soeren Palumbo (Notre Dame 2011) and Tim Shriver (Yale 2011) in 2009, and continues to be led by passionate young people, along with Special Olympics athletes and Best Buddies participants across the United States and in many other parts of the world.
Respectful and inclusive language is essential to the movement for the dignity and humanity of people with intellectual disabilities. However, much of society does not recognize the hurtful, dehumanizing and exclusive effects of the R-word.
Language affects attitudes. Attitudes impact actions. Make your pledge for #Respect today at www.R-word.org.
Visit www.r-word.org to learn how you can Spread the Word to End the Word.
Christy White, Special Olympics cwhite@specialolympics.org or 202-824-0307
Frances Moore from our Philadelphia program has been recognized as a Special Olympics North America (SONA) 2015 Coach of the Year Finalist.The SONA Coach of the Year Award is given annually to a Special Olympics coach who has made a significant and demonstrable impact on local Special Olympics Programs and their communities.
As a Coach-of-the-Year recipient, Fran is in the company of the region’s finest coaches – true leaders and dedicated coaches who serve as role models to other coaches, inside and outside of Special Olympics. She has positively impacted athletes, family members and the community. We are grateful for her hard work, applaud her high standards of excellence, and admire her generosity of heart. Fran is now considered among SONA’s Coaching Dream Team that consists of 16 additional finalists and the Coach of the Year, Tom Norton from Canada.
Fran Moore pictured at center with SOPA Board Chairman Greg Stewart and President & CEO Matt Aaron, receiving her 2015 Coach of the Year Award during the Annual Leadership Conference.
Fran is an inspirational person with an enthusiastic attitude. Since she started volunteering for Special Olympics PA – Philadelphia a decade ago, she has served on the Management Team where she held the Family Coordinator position. Within that position, Fran lead the charge to solicit athlete input and take their feedback into consideration in all aspects of Special Olympics programming.
She believes that all athletes have a voice and should be heard. That is why she also serves as a mentor for her daughter Katie Moore, who is a Global Messenger. Through Fran’s efforts, four athletes now serve as mentors to their fellow teammates; and she has encouraged and mentored three other former aquatics athletes.
Fran is currently certified in soccer and aquatics where she trains over 100 athletes each week and dedicates every weekend to coach. As a physical therapist, Fran knows that eating healthy, training, and proper stretching are the keys to being a healthy athlete. She encourages her athletes to eat healthy and teaches them proper techniques to stretching before and after practices.
In addition to her commitment to our current athletes, families and volunteers, Fran is always in search of new coaches. Over the past several years, Fran has recruited more than 10 coaches to assist at aquatics trainings.
Fran has positively impacted the entire Philadelphia program, as evidenced by her receiving the 2015 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Coach of the Year Award.
In 2015, USTA Middle States partnered with Special Olympics of PA to offer additional tennis player opportunities. Join us on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm for the first SOPA Indoor Tennis Clinic and Team Tennis event at Hillcrest Racquet Club in Reading, PA (4401 Perkiomen Ave, Reading, PA 19606) that will feature an hour and a half of instructional clinic followed by team tennis match play.
This event is open to all SOPA athletes and adaptive tennis players for the following skill levels: traditional (yellow ball), green dot (full court, slightly lower compression ball), red ball short court (ideal for beginner players).
There is no cost to participate, but registration is required. Food and snacks will be provided. Click here to view and download an event flyer.
SOPA Indoor Tennis Clinic & Team Tennis Flyer
The 2016 SOPA Night at the 76ers is scheduled for Sunday, March 20th.
Every year, Special Olympics Pennsylvania offers its friends the chance to watch the Philadelphia 76ers in a game at the Wells Fargo Center and help spread awareness about its organization at the same time. Enjoy discounted ticket prices (a portion of proceeds will go to Special Olympics Pennsylvania), take in a thrilling game and do something positive for your community.
The game of the Philadelphia 76ers vs. the Boston Celtics starts at 6pm.
Prior to the game, our athletes will have some pre-game fun on the court, beginning at 3pm!
Get your tickets here and enter code “SOPA”
To get tickets off-line or if you have any questions, contact Mitch at MitchCohen@sixers.com or 267-479-1125
On Saturday, December 6th, Special Olympics Philadelphia held its 26th Annual Invitational Volleyball Tournament. We saw many athletes spike to the top. Nine teams made up of over 100 athletes from Philadelphia, Montgomery, Area M, and Lancaster Counties participated in what was a day filled with competition, fun and excitement for all. Athletes spike to the top as they competed for the gold, silver and bronze. The tournament was exciting and as the day went on the competition only grew more intense as each team score got closer to their opponents. Every athlete had their game face on and ready for a rematch. But as all good things it must come to an end and below you will find the team’s standings for the three levels of competition placement.
A tremendous thank you to Frankford High School for hosting the event, as well as the 20 coaches and the 125 volunteers and officials who came out to assist us make this possible. Thank you to everyone who attended and we can’t wait to see you in 2016!
Division 1
1st Place – Philly Warriors
2nd Place – Area M Spikers
3rd Place – Philly Cougars
Division 2
1st Place – Montco Red Hot Chili Peppers
2nd Place – Montco White Snakes
3rd Place – Lancaster Owls
Division 3
1st Place – Montco Hawks
2nd Place – Montco Moody Blues
3rd Place – Philly Angels
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