Modified Area Bowling Competitions
During the month of October, hundreds of Special Olympics Iowa athletes took to the lanes to show off their bowling skills. Delegations had the option of holding private competitions or joining other delegations in their area for a modified area bowling competition. Athletes enjoyed getting to compete and spending time with old and new friends.
Central DeWitt High School Received National Unified Champion School Recognition
During a whole school program on September 29, Special Olympics Iowa presented Central DeWitt High School with their Special Olympics National Unified Champion School Banner. Central DeWitt High School is one of the less than 6% of schools in the Unified States that can display this banner in their school. This recognition came after Central DeWitt met the 10 standards of excellence that focus on Special Olympics Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole-school engagement.
Unified 5K Road Race
The 7-week Fall Unified 5k training program was capped off this past month with athletes completing a 5k. While many athletes completed their 5k with a family member, coach, or teammate, 9 athletes got the opportunity to race in the IMT Des Moines Marathon Principal 5k. Each athlete was paired up with a Unified partner who completed the 5k race alongside them. Before the race, athletes and Unified partners met over Zoom to get to know each other and discuss goals and game plans. All of the athletes completed their 5k with a smile and cheering fans at the finish line.
Winter Games
January will once again include the statewide Winter Games! The two-day competition is expected to bring over 200 athletes to Dubuque to compete in snowshoeing and skiing events. If you are an athlete or Unified partner interested in competing in the 2022 Winter Games, please reach out to your delegation manager for more information.
Dates
January 10 and 11, 2022

Competition Locations
Skiing - Sundown Mountain
Snowshoeing - Camp Albrecht Acres
Fundraising Central
Fall Polar Plunges
Check out the brand new Special Olympics Iowa mobile plunge unit featured in the photos below! The unit made its debut at the Siouxland Polar Plunge in Sioux City this past Saturday and will be making an appearance at many of the upcoming fall Polar Plunges. Grab your coworkers, friends, or family members, and join us at one of the fall Polar Plunges.
Upcoming Polar Plunges

Davenport - November 6
Fort Dodge - November 7
Dubuque - November 13
West Des Moines - December 4
Truck Convoy
The Truck Convoy for Special Olympics was held on October 2nd! The Truck Convoy is an annual one-day celebration of the trucking industry, its allied partners, and law enforcement all working together to help raise money for Special Olympics. This year's convoy included 65 trucks traveling from Veterans Parkway to the Iowa State Fairgrounds, where they were welcomed by Special Olympics Iowa athletes, family members, colleagues, and law enforcement officers. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Truck Convoy and helped raise over $25,000 for Special Olympics Iowa athletes.
Tailgate for Teammates
Our Annual Tailgate for Teammates event took place on Saturday, October 2nd at the Sheraton Hotel in West Des Moines. This event offered a sense of camaraderie, inclusion and pride among athletes and their supporters. The evening included upscale tailgate cuisine, fun and festive sports-themed activities, and a silent auction. A total of over $55,000 was raised! Thank you to those who donated and supported this event.
Coaches Corner
Registration Forms Available Online
Registration forms for one-day programs and sports competitions are available online! Go to the Participation Forms page on our website to view registration forms for upcoming SOIA events.

Share Your Story!
Do you know someone with a great story to share? We're always looking to share our athletes' stories. If you have a story idea about an athlete, coach, volunteer, or family, please email Karen Whitman at kwhitman@soiowa.org.
Event Calendar

Visit our online calendar for event details!

November
6 - Davenport Polar Plunge®
7 - Fort DodgePolar Plunge®
9 - Buena Vista University Unified Sports Day
13 - Dubuque Polar Plunge®
19 - East Central Area Modified Bowling Competition

December
4 - West Des Moines Polar Plunge®
5 - University of Iowa Unified Sports Day