Project UNIFY - Special Olympics Oklahoma

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6 4 2 n d A N N U A L S U M M E R G A M E S Special Olympics athletes numbering in the thousands met in Stillwater May 11 through 13, 2011 to celebrate the 42nd Annual Summer Games held in Oklahoma. More than 4,300 Special Olympics Oklahoma athletes registered to attend. Special Olympics Oklahoma staff and hundreds of volunteers were on hand to offer support during three days full of competitions, Olympic-style ceremonies, Olympic Village, food, housing, and many fun activities. Athletes started arriving in Stillwater on Wednesday morning, May 11. They traveled from the 14 geographic areas of Oklahoma where they had completed competitions in their local areas. Special Olympics Oklahoma athletes competed at Summer Games in the following sports: Athletics (Track and Field), Bocce, Bowling, Golf, Horseshoes, Powerlifting, Unified 3-on-3 Basketball, and Unified Softball. Other events included Motor Activities and Stars of the Future. Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday evening, May 11 at Gallagher Iba Arena began with the traditional Parade of Athletes. The theme for Opening Ceremonies was “SUPER HEROES of Special Olympics.” Barry Switzer, Head Coach of Special Olympics Oklahoma and Heather Hancock, 2011 Athlete of the Year concluded Opening Ceremonies with the Special Olympics Oath and declared that the 2011 Special Olympics Summer Games were officially OPEN. The Law Enforcement Torch Run celebrated their 25 year anniversary in Oklahoma this year. They escorted the Parade of Athletes, carried the Flame of Hope into the arena, and rappelled into Gallagher Iba Arena. The presenting sponsor for Opening Ceremonies was COX Communications. Other premier sponsors for Summer Games included Cherokee Nation, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, Law Enforcement Torch Run, The J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation, McDonald’s of Oklahoma, Third Combat Communications Group of Tinker Air Force Base, Sonic Corporation and Walmart Foundation. Elks Provide Support to Special Olympics for 42 Years Members of the Stillwater Elks have cooked smoked chicken for the Special Olympics Oklahoma Summer Games Committee for more than 25 years. They also provide hamburgers and hot dogs for the annual Coaches Camp in Stillwater. However, cooking chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs is not the only support Special Olympics Oklahoma receives from the Stillwater Elks. The Summer Games Committee meets months in advance of Summer Games and the Stillwater Elks graciously open their doors for those meetings. Why do they do it? “We enjoy seeing the satisfaction of the Special Olympics athletes. We started out to help with Special Olympics in the Stillwater area and now 25 years later we support Special Olympics Oklahoma statewide. It gets in your blood, and you just can’t say no,” said Pat Lewis, co-chairman of the Stillwater Elks Community Service Committee. Dwight Stoddard, co-chair of the Stillwater Elks Community Service Not only do the Elks support Special Olympics Committee; Linda Thrasher, Exalted Ruler of Stillwater Elks Lodge at the local level but statewide as well. They Okla- #1859; and Pat Lewis, co-chair of the Stillwater Elks Community Service Committee. homa Elks Major Projects have been with Special Olympics every step of the way during our 42 years of history. They have sponsored medals and ribbons for our athletes at the Summer Games for many years and have also generously contributed toward the purchase of a new vehicle every couple of years. Thank you, Elks for your long-standing dedication to Special Olympics Oklahoma. The 27 minute long 2011 Summer Games Video Production is available for viewing at: http://www.sook.org/public-service-announcements--videos.html Thank you to Cox Communications and OETA for airing the 2011 Summer Games video production numerous times in September and October.
M A Y 1 1 - 1 3 , 2 0 1 1 2011 Award Winners 2011 Family of the Year The Smith Family Photo: James, Natalie, Samantha, Lindsay, Billy, Emily and Quinton Smith with Linda McKown, Cox Communications and Board Member of Special Olympics Oklahoma. 2011 Athlete of the Year Heather Hancock Photo: Heather and Barry Switzer, Head Coach Special Olympics Oklahoma. 2011 Spirit Award Taylor Brown Photo: Shawnna, Taylor and Alan Brown with Linda McKown, Cox Communications and Board Member of Special Olympics Oklahoma. 2011 Fankhauser Volunteer of the Year Kiandre Glasgow Photo: Stan Clark, Eskimo Joe’s Clothes and Kiandre. 2011 Coach of the Year Lolieta Miller Photo: Lolieta and Stan Clark, Eskimo Joe’s Clothes. Synar Award for Excellence: Walmart The Synar Award for Excellence is presented annually to a company that has dedicated itself in all aspects to Special Olympics Oklahoma. This year’s recipient is Walmart, a premier sponsor of Special Olympics Oklahoma and Young Athletes “Stars of the Future” program. The award was presented to Walmart at the 2011 Opening Ceremonies at Oklahoma State University’s Gallagher Iba Arena on May 11, 2011. Carol Moralez, Walmart Marketing Manager with Scott Moore, Ascent Healthcare Solutions and Board Member of Special Olympics Oklahoma. 7
Page 1 and 2: PH T FINISH S p e cS i a l O l y m
Page 3 and 4: 2011 SPECIAL OLYMPICS OKLAHOMA WINT
Page 5: Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day Septembe
Page 9 and 10: Special Olympics World Summer Games
Page 11 and 12: 2011 Law Enforcement Torch Run Cele
Page 13 and 14: Coaches Training Opportunities OU C
Page 15 and 16: 2011 Olympic Circle of Friends Cham

Project UNIFY - Special Olympics Oklahoma

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