May 2012

Treat Mom to Chili’s May 9

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. 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.

Cops On Top of Doughnut Shops?

 Officers will take to the roofs of Atlanta’s ninth annual “Cops on Doughnut Shops” weekend from 6 a.m. on Friday, June 8 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 10, where they will collect dough-nations from customers as they eat, sleep and play on the rooftops of Krispy Kreme stores. Click here for more information about the doughnut shops in metro Atlanta, Athens and Columbus.

It’s Duck Derby Time!

Adopt a duck today in the 7th Annual Duck Derby and you’ll help
provide more sports and opportunities to Georgia’s 24,470 Special Olympics athletes. For a $5 or more donation, a lucky prize number will be assigned to a duck and entered into the derby in your name. Then on June 22nd, 10,000 yellow rubber ducks will race against each other at Six Flags White Water. If your adopted duck is one of the first to cross the finish line, you could win fabulous prizes – such as a trip to Mandalay Bay & Resort in Las Vegas, NV, a Macy’s shopping spree, season passes to White Water, a Publix gift card, or an Amazon Kindle Fire! Thank you to our sponsors Kids ‘R’ Kids Schools & Academies, Allconnect, Rooms To Go Children’s Fund, Atlanta Arms & Ammo, LAZ Parking, Whitaker Oil Company, Walmart, Ridgeline Counseling, Risk Placement Services, Precision Aviation Group, Dobbins Thrift Shoppe, Highwoods Properties, Sherwin-Williams, de Courcy & Company, Dale Massey – State Farm Insurance, and Craig Automotive. Also, thank you to our media partner, 94.9 The Bull.

Monthly Giving Club

Athletes remind us every day that the triumph is in the trying and not necessarily in the winning. You can share the joy of Special Olympics by becoming a monthly donor and providing dependable funding for the athletes. For $10 a month, you will feed 24 athletes 1 meal at a State Game; for $25 a month, you will provide medals for 12 competitions at a State Game; for $50 a month, you will send 2 athletes to Camp Inspire; and for $100 a month, you will provide 80 athletes housing for 2 nights at a State Game. Your monthly donation can be any amount you choose. Each month, your contribution will be charged to your credit card or you can donate by sending in a check – whichever you prefer. As a monthly donor, you will be recognized on our Web site and in our quarterly newsletter, Georgia’s Champions. To learn more, to sign-up, or to make a change to your current monthly donation, contact Susan at 770-414-9390 x111 or Susan.Skolnick@SpecialOlympicsGA.org. Together, we can make a difference!

Children with Special Needs Are Invited to a Young Athletes Demonstration at  Summer Games

If  your child is between the ages 2 and 7 and has special needs, your family is invited to a demonstration that could help your child’s motor skills development and prepare him or her for Special Olympics competition. The Young Athletes Demonstration will be held at  State Summer Games Saturday, May 19, at Emory  University’s McDonough Field.  Starting at 10 a.m., Young Athletes/family members can enjoy Olympics Town games, snacks, inflatables, petting animals, crafts and have opportunity to try the Young Athletes Program equipment and network with other families. Contact Jennifer Daniell Jennifer.Daniell@SpecialOlympicsGA.orgfor more information and to RSVP.

 May Athlete of the Month- Jacob Moore

The athlete of the month for April goes to Jacob Moore, of Special Olympics Fulton County. A student at Alpharetta Elementary School, Jacob has been involved with Special Olympics since he was old enough to participate. Training and competing are his two biggest passions! About two years ago, Jacob, who has Down’s Syndrome, was faced with quite the tough obstacle—he was diagnosed with Leukemia. It has been a difficult two years for Jacob, but despite many lengthy hospital stays and side effects from chemo, Jacob always attends state games. He also trains during his adapted physical education classes at Alpharetta Elementary and competes in events throughout the school year when he is able to. Because of his resilience, nothing can get Jacob down, even cancer, and that’s why he deserves athlete of the month!

 SOGA is Looking for Host Families During International
Meeting of Social Inclusiveness

SOGA asks for a few families to be family hosts to 2 or 3 L’Arche, a global social movement leader in changing the way people with intellectual disabilities are seen, delegates from June 3-10 as the International Assembly at Agnes Scott College. Click here for more information.
Contact  Georgia.Milton-Sheats@SpecialOlympicsGA.org if you’re interested in being a host family.

Sponsor of the Month

 Special Olympics Georgia is honored to have Jones Day serve as the Opening Ceremony Sponsor of the 2012 State Summer Games! Jones Day is a passionate supporter of Special Olympics Georgia athletes and is instrumental to the success of the Summer Games.“For over 100 years, Jones Day has demonstrated a strong commitment to its community and public service. We are always looking for new and creative ways to serve and improve the community around us,” said Bryan Davis, Jones Day partner and Chairman of the Board for Special Olympics Georgia.Jones Day is a global law firm practicing in the major centers of business and finance throughout the world. Ranked among the world’s best and most integrated law firms, and perennially ranked among the best in client service, Jones Day acts as principal outside counsel to, or provides significant legal representation for, approximately half of the Fortune 500, the Fortune Global 500, and the FT Global 500. The impact that Jones Day volunteers has on the athletes is immeasurable.Thank you Jones Dayfor your amazing volunteer and financial support for the Summer Games!

Volunteer of the Month: Mark Kimbrough

 It takes a lot of behind the scenes work to make sure State Summer Games schedules are set, volunteers are ready, meals are served, equipment is set up, and supplies are there. Mark Kimbrough, the person in charge of the Facilities and Maintenance Department at Emory University, is probably one of the hardest working people the week of and weekend of the Summer Games.Ever since SOGA has held the Summer Games at Emory University, Mark has been a huge part of the event, everything from organizing his crew to deliver tables and chairs all around the campus to each venue, setting up over 2,000 chairs for the Opening Ceremony and cleaning them up after Opening is over, cleaning up trash, setting up the recycling bins, and helping with any other task that is needed for the weekend. He does all this without hesitation and makes sure everything is running smoothly, making him a true team player in an extremely team oriented event. His actions and spirit are truly what makes him an incredible asset to the Special Olympics Georgia family.

Thank you Mark for all of your service to Special Olympics Georgia!
Without your dedication, we could not pull off such a large event. And at the upcoming Summer Games if you are sitting on a chair, using a table or under a tent for shade, remember Mark and make sure to thank him.

Volunteer Opportunities

Bicycle Ride Across Georgia
June 3 – 9, 2012
Over 1,000 cyclists from around the globe are taking a tour of Georgia –on their BIKES! – and they need help along the way. Help refresh, feed and cheer on these incredible cyclists by volunteering as a rest stop. 
Exact city dates are:
Sunday, June 3 – Dalton
Monday, June 4 – Jasper
Tuesday, June 5 – Roswell
Wednesday, June 6 – Roswell
Thursday, June 7 – Winder
Friday, June 8 – Mt. Airy
Saturday, June 9 – Tiger

Cops on Doughnut Shops
June 8 – 10, 2012
Who doesn’t love Krispy Kreme Doughnuts? Cops all over the state will sit on top of Krispy Kreme doughnut shops to raise money for SOGA and they need your help. Help us raise awareness, collect donations, entertain those cops and maybe snag a doughnut or two…
Krispy Kreme locations include: Athens, Atlanta, Buford, Commerce, Duluth, Lilburn, Marietta and Roswell. If you are interested in volunteering for any of the above events/positions, please contact Leslie Anderson at Leslie.Anderson@SpecialOlympicsGA.org.

Let Special Olympics Warm Your Home

Three Special Olympics inspired Shaw Living area rugs through the new Rugs For A Reason campaign will be available for purchase!. Each area rug — the blocks with flowers, the circles and paisley with stripes — is machine woven, not printed, and resistant to soil, stains and fading.  Click here
to learn more.

Mark Your Calendars for the Annual Sailing Regatta, Sept. 14-16

Put some wind in your sails at the 13th Annual Sailing Regatta Sept. 14-16 at Lake Lanier at Sunrise Cove. The event, supported by Southern Sailing Club, features a Sponsor Boat for race viewing, a skipper reception, door prizes and much more. All you have to do to enter, is raise at least $225 through sponsorship pledges or personal donations. *Don’t forget, the sailing club that raises the most money wins the annual trophy and bragging rights for a year! Click here for all the details. GRAND PRIZE is awarded to the skipper who raises the most money! Contact Rebecca Surles at
Rebecca.Surles@SpecialOlympicsGA.org for more information.

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 and cash rewards for you.
Click here to learn more about this promotion.