Coupons for a Cause

Special Olympics and P&G are excited to celebrate 30 years of working together! December 27th kicks off the P&GbrandSAVER coupon promotion. Get a coupon book in your local newspaper, save big bucks on your favorite products, and help raise money for Special Olympics: for every coupon redeemed, P&G will donate 3 cents to Special Olympics. http://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/brandsaver-coupons.jsp

Spreading Joy, One Song at a Time

Spreading Joy, One Song at a Time
I wanted to tell you about this end of year effort launched by Special Olympics. When you make an online donation in the name of friends and family as holiday gifts, your loved ones will receive a card with a certificate for a free holiday song download. It’s a great alternative holiday gift for those on your holiday list who are most difficult to shop for and the money supports a great cause, giving more people with intellectual disabilities a chance to participate in Special Olympics, train, compete, gain self-confidence and acceptance. Find out more here and I hope you consider participating! www.SpecialOlympics.org/giftofsong

National Portrait Gallery Unveils EKS Portrait

On Saturday, May 9th, the National Portrait Gallery hosted a ceremony to unveil a portrait of Special Olympics Founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver. This was the first time a portrait of someone other than a President or First Lady has been commissioned.

What a wonderful tribute to our Founder and to the Special Olympics movement! And, Andy Leanord and Loretta Claiborne, two of the five athletes featured in the portrait with Mrs. Shriver, have competed in Special Olympics Pennsylvania.

Read more in the May 9th post on the NPG blog at:
http://face2face.si.edu/

Reaction to President Obama's Comment on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno

President Obama's comment about Special Olympics was wrong and hurtful. While he immediately realized his mistake and called Tim Shriver, the Chairman of Special Olympics International, to apologize, this demonstrates how pervasive negative stereotypes about Special Olympics and people with intellectual disabilities remain in our society. We still have a lot of work to do to change mindsets and create a world where our athletes are accepted and recognized for their abilities, not their disability.

You can read my full statement at:
http://www.specialolympicspa.org/press/press.php

Matt Aaron
President and CEO
Special Olympics Pennsylvania

World Winter Games

Special Olympics Pennsylvania's 5 World Winter Games athletes just returned from Boise with gold, silver, and bronze medals. More importantly, they brought back memories and experiences of a lifetime, like two of our athletes who got to spend time with Vice President Biden during his visit to the Games. Read more on SOI's website about the Games, the VP's visit, and the President's new special assistant for disability policy who was introduced at the Games. http://www.specialolympics.org/WGU_VP_WWG_visit.aspx

Youth are speaking out about the R-word!

Special Olympics PA sent 3 people to the Global Youth Activation Summit taking place right now in Boise, Idaho as part of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. http://tinyurl.com/abbpah

Winter Update

There are lots of exciting things happening at Special Olympics Pennsylvania! Last week, a sendoff was held at the Flyers/Bruins game to wish our 5 athletes, 6 coaches, 2 officials, and 1 trainer good luck at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho (2 of these athletes and 1 of the coaches also recently marched in the Inauguration Parade in Washington, DC). Special Olympics Pennsylvania also sent 3 delegates to attend the Global Youth Activation Summit in Boise, expected to draw more than 130 young people, with and without intellectual disabilities, from around the world who are committed to making a difference in their schools and communities through Special Olympics.

Competition is now underway in Boise, and we send our best wishes to all athletes! You can find out more at the Team USA website at http://www.specialolympicsteamusa.org/index.php.

Coming up February 22-24, Special Olympics Pennsylvania will be hosting our annual Winter Games in Johnstown, PA. Almost 300 athletes and 150 coaches from across Pennsylvania will come together for this statewide competition featuring intense competition in alpine and cross-country skiing, figure and speed skating, and snowshoeing events.

There's never been a better time to be a fan of Special Olympics Pennsylvania!

Matt Aaron
President and CEO