Special Olympics Georgia

February2012

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Be a Fan and like Special Olympics Georgia. Click here to like us. Be a Fan. Bring Out the Champion in Everyone. You’ll get the latest news about athletes, volunteer
opportunities and cool photos.

Plunge for the Athletes

Join other cold-water plungers Feb. 18 for the Polar Plunge at Lanier World at Sunset Cove in raising money for Special Olympics Georgia athletes. All you have to do is register, use
your tool kit to collect pledges and then PLUNGE. Prizes will be awarded to the best costume, highest fundraiser, highest fundraising team, and more! Relief from the cold will be provided: heated areas, warm concessions and fun souvenirs. Click here to get started!

Let’s Go Over the Edge

Are you brave and courageous like our athletes? Do you like to push the limits?

Sign up here to Go Over The Edge April 21 at The Overlook III in Atlanta and raise much needed funds for the 23,620 athletes of Special Olympics Georgia! Afraid of heights? You and your co-workers could raise $1,500 to send your boss Over the Edge. For more information, contact Amber Mullins at
Amber.Beach@SpecialOlympicsGA.org
or call (770) 414-9390 ext. 105.

You’re Invited to the Art Auction

You don’t want to miss this ever-popular event Saturday, March 24 at 7 p.m. in a beautiful “for sale” home in Sandy Springs. Tickets are $40, and include an evening complete with a tour of a designer home, live and silent auction, spirits, hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, and an athlete speaker telling her personal story.For more information or to purchase your ticket, click here. Pre-registering is preferred but you may pay at the door. Contact Rebecca Surles at Rebecca.Surles@SpecialOlympicsGA.org or 770-414-9390 ext. 102

Athlete Spotlight: Anna Watts Even though it was only Anna Watts’ first year competing in local and area Special Olympics competitions, she still nabbed two of the coveted gold medals. The student from Elberton trained for a long time for the chance to seriously compete in her area. Her peers and teachers are thankful for the positive enthusiasm she brings to her team. Last November, her team won first place at the Area 5 Basketball Tournament. Though she received remarks for excelling in agility-based physical fitness exercises at school and during practice, Anna has also proven she also carries power in her athleticism. During the last local competition, she won first place in shot put.Anna’s coaches praise her selfless attitude. Putting others ahead of herself, Anna knows the key to a successful team is constantly having a positive attitude. She gives 100 percent every day during practice and exercises, which is the embodiment of the Special Olympics motto, “Let me win; but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” Anna Watts
belongs to a dynamic core of high caliber athletes who will be able to mold Elbert County Special Olympics into an athletic powerhouse that can take home gold medals at state competitions.

Sponsor of the Month: Rooms to Go We are pleased to announce that for the first year Rooms To Go
will serve as the Igloo Sponsor of the 2012 Polar Plunge! Based in Tampa, Florida, Rooms to Go is passionate about supporting Special Olympics Georgia athletes and raising the much-needed funds to support SOGA programs.When Rooms To Go opened its first set of doors in 1991, the way people bought furniture was changed forever. Since then, the company has grown into America’s #1 independent furniture company with the nation’s largest furniture inventory. By offering stylish furniture at everyday low prices, original room packages, superior service and fast delivery, today Rooms To Go is America’s favorite place to buy furniture. Thank you Rooms To Go for being a good friend and for supporting the 2012 Polar Plunge!

Volunteer of the Month: Ed Sellers Special Olympics Georgia has a database of over 25,000 volunteers throughout the state of Georgia; we typically have
over 1,000 volunteers at State Indoor Winter and we average around 100 new volunteers each month. We have many deserving volunteers who should have been honored with volunteer of the month many times over but have been
missed. It is often the quiet and subdued person who gets overlooked.Ed Sellers is not the loudest guy or the flashiest volunteer but he is one of the most generous and dependable. Ed has been the basketball team skills venue director at the State Indoor Winter Games for the past two years now, and has run the venue successfully with such a calm and easy demeanor, while running a successful venue. Staying relaxed and composed throughout that Saturday, Ed faced any issues head on and kept games running smoothly, and he had a great time with the athletes in the process, which is always what we want to see with our volunteers.Thank you Ed for once again running the show at basketball team skills and for being such an excellent example of a volunteer.

Volunteer Opportunities

Art Auction Committee Member
Looking to use your planning and fundraising skills? Join the 2012 Art Auction committee and help plan and fundraise for this annual event.

Polar Plunge, Lake Lanier
February 18
Yep, there are people out there that are willing to plunge into the freezing cold waters of Lake Lanier. It’s all to benefit the SOGA athletes so let’s show them some support. You’ll never see a more excited group of freezing individuals.

Art Auction
March 24
The Art Auction is being held at a beautiful multi-million dollar home in Sandy Springs. Volunteers are needed to help with the house set-up and the auction. Volunteers must be 21 or over to volunteer. And feel free to join the fun and buy some amazing art pieces!

If you are interested in volunteering for any of the above events, please contact Leslie Anderson at
Leslie.Anderson@SpecialOlympicsGA.org.

Wednesday,
Feb. 22 is a Chili’s Restaurant Day

Have a meal at any Chili’s (excluding locations at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and Discover Mills) and 10 percent of that day’s sales will go back to Special Olympics Georgia. Be sure to mention Special Olympics. Take the night off from cooking and raise money for the athletes of Special Olympics Georgia.
Note: You must bring this flyer for SOGA to get credit.

Letter from CEO: Rugs for a Reason

Read a letter from Georgia Milton-Sheats (SOGA’s CEO) about three Special Olympics inspired Shaw Living area rugs through the new Rugs For A Reason campaign. You can help SOGA raise $10 million dollars.

Quack Quack! Mark Your Calendars!

Plans for the 2012 Duck Derby are underway! Over 10,000 adopted ducks will be dumped into the Little Hooch at Six Flags White Water June 22. You can join in the fun and adopt your duck for just $5. The first five ducks across the finish line win a prize such as a three night stay at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, NV, a $250 Macy’s gift card, Six Flags White Water season passes and more. Check out all the details and adopt your duck at
AtlantaDuckDerby.com. The 2012 Duck Derby’s radio partner is 94.9 The Bull. Contact Rebecca Surles at
Rebecca.Surles@SpecialOlympicsGA.org or 770-414-9390 ext. 102.

Get Inspired to Ride!

Take The Inaugural Ride to Inspire Cycling Event to be held in Cartersville, Ga. Saturday April 28, benefiting Special Olympics and Camp Inspire.

The event will take place in the beautiful rolling hills of North
Georgia. The fully sagged rides begin and ends at The Anheuser Busch Brewery located 100 Busch Drive in Cartersville, Ga. with live entertainment and a wonderful meal at the finish.There are 4 routes mapped out with distances of 15, 31, 48 and 66 miles and with fully stocked rest stops every 10 – 12 miles, there is a ride for all abilities.
Register for $25 and collect at least $100 in pledges. Sign up today.

AT&T Promotion Ends This Month

Through February 29th, AT&T will make a $40 donation to Special Olympics for each online purchase made on
eligible AT&T products and services through our partnership micro site, www.att.com/specialolympics or by
taking this flyer into an AT&T company owned store. Eligible products include U-Verse, DirecTV, U-Verse High Speed Internet, High Speed Internet, U-Verse voice service, Local Phone Service, New Wireless Service, and Contract Renewal for Wireless Service.

Make $$ for SOGA Searching the Web

Yahoo has teamed up with GoodSearch to donate a penny to SOGA every time you search the web. This is totally free, as the money comes from advertisers. Make GoodSearch your home page by going to “tools” in your browser and then clicking on “internet options.” Type www.goodsearch.com in the space for home page. The first time you visit the site, type “Special Olympics Georgia” in the box for “Who do you goodsearch for?”

Bank of America Promotion for Special Olympics

Bank of America and Special Olympics have joined forces to turn everyday purchases into extraordinary experiences
for athletes with intellectual disabilities. With the Special Olympics Visa® credit card and personal checking account, you can help give children and adults with intellectual disabilities opportunities to develop physical fitness,
demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and their communities.†

Click here to read more.

† Standard Check order fees apply

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