We dare you… Again |
 |
February 26, 2011 Presented by Liberty University Athletics and Campus Recreation |
The Hill City Polar Plunge Festival is only one month away! Please join us at Liberty University, on February 26th, for the most important Special Olympics fundraiser in south central Virginia. It is never too early to sign up, and our athletes need your support. Just in case you needed another reminder about why this event is so important, look no further than Special Olympics athlete, Junaid and his good friend, Tanner. That smile is the reason why we plunge.  |
Plunge Details: Participants only need to raise $100 to plunge, and it’s easy with our online fundraising which you can email out to your friends and family. In addition to taking the Plunge, you'll get a Plunge T-shirt and lunch. Other event highlights include a Battle of the Bands, a Community Fair, Costume Contests and many fundraising competitions! (Click on our website below for more details.) Sign Up Now: Online Registration Website: www.polarplunge.com/hillcityplunge Follow the Hill City Polar Plunge on Facebook to get all the updates. Follow Special Olympics on Twitter for up more information. For more information, contact Josh Walker with Special Olympics Virginia. |
Monday, January 24, 2011
Hill City Polar Plunge Festival - Only One Month Away!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Happy Holidays
Happy Holidays
From Your Friends at Special Olympics Virginia
It has been another amazing year for our Special Olympics athletes, and this holiday season we truly have a lot to be thankful for. This will be the last Piedmont Region update for the year, but we will be back with some exciting updates in 2011. By the way, how appropriate is it that as I type this “Holiday” update, there is snow falling all over South Central Virginia? Here’s hoping for a white Christmas. And to all our friends in the schools, enjoy your time off.
Happy Holidays everyone. Please have a safe and wonderful New Year!
Season’s Greetings from the President
For nearly 40 years, Special Olympics has worked to provide opportunities that lead to a more enriched, inclusive life for persons with intellectual disabilities. Without minimizing its impact, I believe that the outcome of Special Olympics goes above and beyond that original model. I can now say confidently that at the heart of Special Olympics lies a prototype for transforming society. Special Olympics is the way the world should be, rich in understanding and joy and showing no judgment.
“Our world, the Special Olympics world, is a world without prejudice. We want that to be your world too.”
-Grace Anne Braxton, Special Olympics Virginia Athlete, Global Messenger and the #1 Special Olympics Golfer in the World
All at Special Olympics Virginia take pride in including you as part of our family and wish you the Happiest of Holiday Seasons. Please take time to enjoy and reflect on our message of Opening Hearts and Changing Minds which comes from our athletes. Share it with others at home or in the workplace as we work together to help all people understand that Special Olympics is not just for our athletes but for everyone.
Rick Jeffrey
President
WE DARE YOU…
Mark Your Calendars for the 2011 Hill City
Polar Plunge Festival
at Liberty University
The 2011 Lynchburg Polar Plunge is scheduled for Saturday, February 26th, and guess what. It has a new name.
Mark your calendars and get your plunge costumes ready, because it’s official. The 2011 Hill City Polar Plunge Festival at Liberty University will be held on Saturday, February 26th. Formerly named the Lynchburg Polar Plunge Festival (we like the new name better too), this year’s event promises to be the biggest one yet.
To sign up to participate, please register here by clicking on the Hill City Polar Plunge link and following the instructions. SIGN UP FOR THE PLUNGE
Also, stay up to date with all plunge developments by following the Hill City Plunge on FACEBOOK.
Monday, December 6, 2010
2011 Hill City Polar Plunge Festival
| We dare you… Again  | ||
| February 26, 2011 Presented by Liberty University Athletics and Campus Recreation | ||
| The weather is getting colder, and that means that it’s almost plunge time! Please join us at Liberty University, on February 26th, for the largest Special Olympics fundraiser in South Central Virginia. It is never too early to sign up, and the holidays are the perfect time to start fundraising. All the information that you need is below. | ||
 TAKE THE PLUNGE… |  …FOR ATHLETES LIKE MATT | |
| Sign Up Now: Online Registration Website: www.polarplunge.com/hillcityplunge Follow the Hill City Polar Plunge on Facebook to get all the updates. Follow Special Olympics on Twitter for up more information. For more information, contact Josh Walker with Special Olympics Virginia. | ||
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Here's One for the Parents
Here’s One for the Parents
To all our Piedmont Region parents…Thank You!
By Josh Walker
Have any of you ever had one of those moments in life where you suddenly just got it? You know what I’m talking about, right? Life is a continuous process of gaining understanding, and sometimes something happens to you which causes that light in your head to click on. That happened to me two weeks ago when my son Cole was born.
I have worked for Special Olympics Virginia for almost two and a half years now, and I count myself as blessed to have the privilege of working in a job that has allowed me to make such a difference. Our athletes are truly amazing, and they are the reason that I love my work so much. I have been given the task of advocating for thousands of Special Olympics athletes in Virginia, and those of you who know me understand that I have always taken this responsibility very seriously. However, when I became a parent two weeks ago, I gained a greater appreciation for how important my job really is.
Those of you who are parents know the joy that my wife, Carrene, and I have experienced these past few weeks. I can’t begin to put into words the love that I have for my son. Nor can I express how proud I am to be a father. What I can tell you is how humbled I am to work with such amazing parents, guardians, and volunteers in the Piedmont Region. You have been fighting and advocating for your children and our athletes long before I came into the picture. It is the legacy that you have helped your children to build that has turned Special Olympics into one of the World’s most successful non profit organizations. It is that legacy that I have been entrusted with, and I want you to know that I have never appreciated that responsibility more than I do right now.
From this point on Carrene and I will have the privilege of raising Cole to be a man. It is my hope and prayer that he grows to develop the same character, determination, and joy for life that so many of our athletes show on a daily basis. Parents, you have set an example that I will strive to emulate, and I thank you for leading the way.
Fall Champs Recap
The 2010 Fall Championships, on November 6-7, were once again an amazing weekend of fun for our athletes. Congratulations to all of our Piedmont Region athletes who made the trip to Virginia Beach. You have made us all very proud!
(Below are the results that I have received from the competition. If there are any results that have been left out, please email them to me, and I will include them in a future update.)
Area 15 – Soccer Skills and Bocce
By Joanne Catron, Charlotte County Coordinator
Soccer Skills
(There were 9 divisions of athletes)
Division 6 - Whitney Dunn—Gold medal, Scott Catron—Bronze medal
Division 7 - Ta’leisha Coles—Bronze medal
Division 8 - Yasmeen Hubbard (Halifax) tied for the Gold medal, William Frank---4th place ribbon
Division 9 - Justice Womack (Halifax) Gold medal, Daniel Harris—Silver medal, Ja’Maree Coles—Bronze medal
Bocce
Lonnie New (Halifax) Gold medal
Area 24 – Lynchburg Volleyball
By Lori Rife, Volleyball Coach
The Lynchburg volleyball team had a great weekend and demonstrated great sportsmanship, teamwork, had a lot of fun. As a result they brought home the gold. Our skills team did just as well. In the words of our skills coach, "The skills team makes me so proud.” Casey did an awesome job with her setting bring home 3rd place. Katherine nailed the bump pass bring home 2nd placed. Phillip Sparrows did an excellent job with his serving bring home 1st place.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS for February 26, 2011
Friday, October 29, 2010
Happy Halloween
Happy Halloween
From your friends at Special Olympics
On behalf of Special Olympics Virginia and the Piedmont Region, we would like to wish all of our athletes and volunteers a Happy Halloween! Whether you are taking your children out trick or treating, heading to a costume party, or parking yourself on the couch in front of a scary movie, we hope you have a great weekend… And be sure to eat lots of candy!
It’s Disc Golf Time
The 1st Annual Hill City Disc Golf Tournament is tomorrow
at Peaks View Park in Lynchburg.
By Josh Walker
Tomorrow, the Piedmont Region will hold the first ever disc golf tournament to benefit the athlete of Special Olympics Virginia.
It’s not too late to come out and support our athlete on the disc golf course. Registration starts at 10 am, and walk ins are accepted. The fee is $20 per participant. Find more information by clicking here: Hill City Disc Golf Website
Over the Edge, Richmond,
is a Huge Success…
Next Stop Norfolk
By Holly Claytor
What a great weekend! Thanks to everyone who made Over the Edge Richmond a huge success. 68 people went “over the edge,” and raised $65,000 (and counting!) for the organization!
Below are just a few of the weekend’s media highlights.
Stay tuned for results from the Norfolk - Over the Edge fundraiser in a few weeks…
VA Beach Hotels Accepting Polar Plunge Reservations
Here is an important announcement for all of you planning to make the trip to VA Beach, on February 4-5, for the 2011 Polar Plunge. Hotels are now accepting reservations. They fill up quickly during that weekend, so you will want to book your rooms now.
For those of you waiting for information about the Polar Plunge in Lynchburg, now called the Hill City Polar Plunge, we will be sending out information with in the next month. Stay tuned…
PIC OF THE WEEK!
Lynchburg College sophomore, and long time Special Olympics volunteer, Meg Hunt, raised over $1000 and went Over the Edge for Special Olympics Virginia last weekend. Great job, Meg!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Brave in the Attempt
A UNIQUE DOCUMENTARY
Support the Television Premier!
8:00 PM and 11:00 PM, October 21, 2010
Why are people with disabilities so strange? Why do I feel so uncomfortable around them? Brave in the Attempt endeavors to break through the barriers of perception that alienate those with disabilities from the rest of the population. How someone looks and sounds on the outside may not predicate who they are on the inside. Often humorous and poignant, this feature documentary follows a basketball team of 15 young athletes in their quest for Olympic gold. Though they may have disabilities, they have the same desire for competition we all do. Some want to win very badly. Some are better athletes than others. Some don’t like sports at all. In other words, they are just like everyone else.
Throughout the journey the athletes with their coaches and families give us insight into the challenges facing those with disabilities while showing us just how capable they really are. Through their tournaments, social events, work and school we get a glimpse into their lives as well as how to build a team.
We hope this documentary will be a great first step to introduce everyone to the disability population, and how normal they really are.
SEE IT - 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM, October 21, 2010 on:
THE DOCUMENTARY CHANNEL
DISH Network - Channel 197 DIRECTV - Channel 267
Air dates for other partner channels can be located at:
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