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This is the February edition of the Special Olympics Ontario monthly newsletter that is shared with athletes and coaches. Be sure to follow Special Olympics Ontario on social media for continued updates or visit specialolympicsontario.com for additional information.

FEBRUARY 3-5, 2023

The Special Olympics Donut returns to

Tim Hortons locations near you!

Special Olympics Canada has once again partnered with Tim Hortons to create the limited edition Special Olympics Donut, available from February 3-5, 2023. 100% of the proceeds from sales of the donut will go directly to local Special Olympics community programs, supporting thousands of athletes with an intellectual disability across Canada.

How to get your Special Olympics Donut:

The Special Olympics Donut will be available at from February 3-5 (just a couple days away), while supplies last. You can order yours in-restaurant, at the drive-through or on the Tim Hortons mobile app. Every donut sold will support community programs and help Special Olympics athletes get back on the playing field.

Please note that the donut is available at most Tim Hortons locations. If you find any trouble in getting your donut, let us know.

Meet Ryan

Ryan MacBean is a Special Olympics Athlete from Dufferin, Ontario. Ryan has been involved in Special Olympics for ten years now, most of which he spent competing in swimming events. In addition to his swimming training and competitions, Ryan looks forward to the many events that Special Olympics Ontario has to offer. These events include Polar Plunges, motionball, Mud Runs and the Truck Ride. Ryan's favourite part of the Truck Ride event is getting to ride in the police cars.

Last year, Ryan was the top fundraising athlete in the 2022 Polar Plunge raising a total of $12,235 for Special Olympics Ontario – way to go Ryan! You can get involved in the 2023 Polar Plunge and support athletes like Ryan achieve their dreams. Visit polarplunge.ca today to find a plunge near you and register to start fundraising!

Join Chef Anthony on Febuary 24th on Zoom!

This month, join Chef Anthony as he walks us through a delicious New York Cheesecake recipe! Be sure to register in advance by clicking the button below, and click here to view the recipe so you have everything you need to follow along on February 24th at 5:30pm!

24h BLUE MTN

February 25-26, 2023

We are very excited to be back on the mountain at the beautiful Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood for the 5th Annual 24h BLUE MTN. The event is open to skiers and snowboarders and features 24 hours of friendly team relay competition to see who can achieve the Most Runs and raise the Most Funds for two important causes: Special Olympics Ontario and the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital Foundation. Brian Stemmle, a four-time Winter Olympian and Canadian Ski Hall of Fame inductee, has actively served as the 24h Blue Mountain Official Event Ambassador since it’s 2018 inception. Stemmle resumes his advocacy role with a warm invitation to register now for February 25th-26th.

Cayuga Velo

June 3, 2023

We are proud to announce a new team fundraising event: the Cayuga Velo 4 & 8-hour relay. This extraordinary cycling experience will take place on the 4-kilometre auto race circuit track at Toronto Motorsports Park and mirrors incredible cycling events on great European racetracks including Le Mans, Brands Hatch, Zolder, and the Nurburgring. 100% of the rider pledges and donations will directly benefit over 26,000 Special Olympics athletes across the province. Registration opens on February 8th.

Inployable

Connecting Employers to People with Down Syndrome

There are nearly 1 million open jobs in Canada. Yet due to hiring bias over 50% of people with Down syndrome still struggle to find a job. Founded in 2022 by the Canadian Down Syndrome Society and LinkedIn, “inployable” is the first-ever employment network on LinkedIn for people with Down syndrome to close the hiring gap.

Employment creates opportunities for independence and connection in our community. Whether you have a job or not, we’re looking for people with Down syndrome to create a personal profile on LinkedIn to show how many members of the community are ready to work! If you need help setting up your profile, a LinkedIn coach is ready to guide you through the process.

Hometown Games

Registration is still open for ALL of these events, so click below to participate today! 

Happening this month:

FEBRUARY 4

Durham Basketball

Burlington Swimming

FEBRUARY 11

Burlington Floor Hockey

Stratford & Area Floor Hockey

FEBRUARY 12

Collingwood Alpine Skiing

FEBRUARY 18

Peterborough Basketball

FEBRUARY 24-26

Huntsville Skiing/Snowshoeing

FEBRUARY 25

Simcoe Swimming

Belleville Swimming

Stratford & Area Basketball

Share Your Special Olympics Story

For the chance to have your Special Olympics story featured in a future newsletter, social media post, or campaign, submit your information on our Athlete Profile Form! Fill out your information, tell us your story, and submit a photo of you participating in Special Olympics, or include a headshot. 

Twitter Follower Contest 

Our social media contest is still in full swing! The contest will continue until the Special Olympics Ontario Twitter account has reached 10,000 total followers. 

To enter the contest you must:

1. Follow @SOOntario on Twitter
2. Retweet the Contest Tweet (click here to view the contest tweet)
3. Reside in Canada

You could win a Special Olympics Ontario prize pack once we reach 9,700 followers, and the grand prize of a $250 Sobeys gift card when we reach 10,000 followers! 

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