Competition Week for the 2020 Special Olympics Oregon Fall Virtual Games presented by Providence Health & Services has arrived!
Nearly 400 participants have experienced the transformative power and sheer joy of athletic competition, good health, and friendship while being confident that their safety is carefully considered during this global crisis.
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In September, we launched the 2020 Special Olympics Fall Virtual Games with our presenting partner Providence Health & Services as part of our fully remote sports training and competition season. While early discussions with volunteer leaders around the state left us hopeful that people would engage, we did not know for sure what to expect.
The response has been very inspiring! More than 60 coaches have worked with athletes to facilitate their success with virtual training and competition. Sports offered this season include athletics (track & field), fitness as sport, golf, soccer and Esports. Each sport saw at least 60 participants with athletics leading the way with 125 competitors.
2020 SOOR Fall Virtual Games Competition Week (November 2nd to the 9th) is now upon us!
It all starts with the Opening Ceremonies which will be shown on the SOOR YouTube channel and will include a live chat during the Monday, November 2, 2020 1pm premiere. This is also the week when athletes submit their scores.
We will all reconvene for Games Celebration Week on November 16-20 for daily awards, spirit day themes and other events including closing ceremonies and a victory dance on Friday the 20th.
For the complete 2020 Special Olympics Oregon Fall Virtual Games presented by Providence Health & Services schedule and more information, visit soor.org/fallvirtualgames
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Mark Hanken
Chief Operating Officer
Special Olympics Oregon
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Thank you Raise Agent – Lauren, Candice, Hannah!
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The global pandemic did not stop our athlete champions from shining across the big (and small screen) on October 14th – they were the stars of the show and brought joy, hope and heartwarming stories to hundreds of viewers along with record-breaking donations! We could not have produced the Breakfast with Champions Live Stream Event without the incredible vision and expertise of Raise Agent.
Lauren Dully Clark, agency principal, has built “a team of change makers, results-oriented professionals specializing in building ideas that engage, motivate, and inspire event fundraising.”
"I’ve had the opportunity to work with Lauren on in-person gala style fundraisers, so I knew that she would be a trusted partner with our virtual event vision,” states Kirsten Goetz, VP for Development. "I originally spoke with Lauren in June about our beloved breakfast becoming a virtual broadcast and about a potential athlete host, Shawn Hinz. Lauren tuned in for one of the SOOR Active Wellness Wednesday events that Shawn hosted, and she had the idea that we could make this event a morning sports show including athlete commentators and keynote stories. The results were amazing, and we could not be more delighted and grateful."
Working with Lauren and her team was enjoyable, inspiring and helped us grow to a new level. The team at Special Olympics Oregon is grateful to have Raise Agent as a partner.
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Ken Davis Unsung Hero Award
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LETR – Ken Davis Unsung Hero Award recipient Marsha McCorkhill
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Each year, a special law enforcement volunteer is honored with the Ken Davis Unsung Hero Award. The award is given annually to a member of the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) community who exemplifies the standards set by the late Ken Davis for community service and dedication to the mission of Special Olympics Oregon.
Marsha exemplifies the spirit of this award in all areas of her service with Special Olympics Oregon. She is a parent of an athlete, local program volunteer, and LETR leader who tirelessly upholds the mission of inclusion through sport for all Oregon children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Marsha has served on the LETR Council, demonstrating her commitment to the mission in her work and on the field of play as a volunteer coach and mentor. Marsha’s efforts have brought fun activities, athletics, and camaraderie for the individuals she served at Coffee Creek by bringing unique fundraising programs to adults in custody and her peers in corrections professions. She spearheaded fun run and walking challenges promoting SOOR's sports programs. Along with sports, she has implemented an innovative approach to fundraising which included the sales of popular food items like pizza and donuts with all proceeds benefiting SOOR athletes. Her efforts have benefitted SOOR with the funds they raised and by bringing awareness of SOOR’s mission and sharing the joy of sports with individuals who are re-entering communities after incarceration.
Marsha’s dedication to LETR and SOOR was most notably visible when she represented Oregon law enforcement in a Final Leg Torch Run for the 2013 World Games in South Korea. “I was told that I brought hope to their county by S. Korean athletes and it was such an honor," recalls Marsha.
Marsha’s efforts as an LETR leader are exceptional and represent the spirit of the Unsung Hero Award to its fullest. We congratulate Marsha McCorkhill and thank the greater LETR community for their service to this mission.
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The halt of in-person programming hasn’t stopped athletes and the Young Professionals Council (YPC) from breaking a sweat through the SOOR Active community – over 1000 members strong and growing! SOOR Active now features Fit 5 with guest coaches from SOOR’s YPC.
The YPC’s involvement with the SOOR Active community was the idea of Unified Partner, Coach, and active volunteer, Chloe Hammond-Bradley. She helped SOOR staff develop fitness content for the weekly schedule of workouts and wellness. When Chloe joined the YPC, she saw that members were eager to interact with Athletes, especially many of the newer members. Through SOOR Active, she saw an opportunity for the YPC to build relationships and connect directly with Athletes by leading virtual workouts to help Athletes stay active and maintain physical fitness in the absence of in-person training and competition due to the pandemic. She created a simple resource to train YPC members to lead Special Olympics’ Fit 5 exercises virtually for Athletes and presented the idea to the Council. Members were excited and hesitant at the same time, as the idea of coaching online is new to all of us.
Lauren McGinley joined the YPC in June so she didn’t expect that she would be able to interact with Athletes due to COVID-19, but with encouragement from fellow YPC member Chloe, she became SOOR Active’s first guest fitness instructor and our Athletes responded enthusiastically and in high numbers.
“Nobody plans for a pandemic, but it’s so important in any aspect of day to day life to be adaptable and flexible, so I was pumped to hear there was going to be an opportunity to offer more virtual offerings to Athletes and for the YPC to meet them even if it’s from our homes on a zoom call,” says Lauren.
Lauren’s background in fitness and work at NIKE helped to put her in the perfect position to put the Nike motto “If you have a body, you’re an athlete” to work. She recalls the experience with great joy, “the Athletes were so kind, fun and happy to attend the first Fit 5 with Guest Coach despite there being some technical issues.” Lauren was most impressed by how the Athletes encouraged each other with shoutouts of support to one another. “At the end of the day, the mission doesn't go away just because a pandemic stalled real life. It's still real life, it’s just slightly altered. We have that commitment to the community and we’re going to figure out how to make it worthwhile and great,” stated Lauren.
Over half of the YPC has already signed up to guest coach a Fit 5 workout over the next several weeks. The live workouts are inclusive and provide various modifications for all ability levels. Fit 5 Workouts haven’t been just Athletes and YPC members; coaches and Unified partners from around the state have logged in to get their daily workout and socialize with each other.
“I’m thrilled to see such high engagement from the YPC. The YPC has a makeup of seasoned veterans and rookies brand new to Special Olympics Oregon so to see veterans like Chloe identify an opportunity for the Council to lead that benefits our Athletes and for rookies like Lauren, Nick and Levi to jump right in to leadership roles is something special. Seeing passionate fellow young professionals is one thing but to see growing bonds between Athletes and coaches/Unified partners is priceless. I personally appreciate their leadership, commitment and energy to Fit 5 with Guest Coach and all our other programs.” says Marlo Eckert, Chair of the YPC.
SOOR’s Fit 5 Workout takes place on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:15 weekly.
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Athlete Kristi Cule is an active member of our online community SOOR Active. Her participation with Special Olympics Oregon began 36 years ago when she was a 13. Pre-Covid she enjoyed snowshoeing and basketball. Most recently, Kristi is training and competing in the tennis ball throw, 4x100, 5k and 1 mile walk as part of the Fall Virtual Season. Although nothing replaces the comradery formed with in-person athletics, Kristi has enjoyed the flexibility of training at home and being able to fit sport and fitness into her daily schedule.
“[It] doesn’t matter what time of day, you always squeeze in a workout”
She has shared her journey of at home training on SOOR Active as a way to motivate and inspire her fellow athletes. Every day on her break from work she posts an update to the online community detailing the ways she is staying active that day. She says that the routine of sharing has helped her keep to her goals in these challenging times.
“I make sure I get enough rest and sleep at night. It can really affect mood and performance. I help others at work and give back to the community.”
Kristi is a Fred Meyer employee and finds innovative ways of getting work done while keeping her body moving! She walks around the whole store multiple times a day to get her steps in, pushes heavy carts for strength training and bags groceries which builds upper body strength and improves posture. When she is away from the store, Kristi and her husband (also a SOOR athlete) train together by walking and meeting on Zoom with their track coach.
Staying fit is not Kristi’s only goal; she is committed to eating healthy snacks like fruit and nuts, along with more fruits and vegetables. She keeps her mind strong by staying busy around the house with chores, art and other creative projects.
Kristi’s favorite Special Olympics memory is running in the Torch Run with law enforcement officers while participating in Special Olympics Idaho. She was able to carry the torch and run in the front of the line, “it’s one of the coolest things I’ve done!”
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Our Mission
Special Olympics Oregon provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children, youth and adults living with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing 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 the community.
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