Welcome to Winter Virtual Games! The 2021 Special Olympics Oregon Winter Virtual Games OPENING CEREMONIES will premiere today at 1:00 pm PST on the SOOR YouTube Channel. This season athletes have been participating in basketball, athletics, fitness as sport, and Esports presented by PlayStation. The season concludes with a Games Celebration Week from March 29 – April 2 featuring theme days, awards presentations, closing ceremonies, and the victory dance.
Nearly a year ago, the team at Special Olympics Oregon took to Facebook to create an on-line at-home wellness community known as SOOR Active. The results have been astonishing. With significant involvement from athlete leaders alongside committed staff and volunteers, this is truly a supportive, creative, and engaging program which is helping to keep us all more connected. #SOORActive
Our Unified Champion Schools (UCS) program will distribute 1,000 activity bags to K-12 students across the state before the end of the school year. This spring, we will host a virtual Unified Champion Schools Leadership Conference with students and teachers from at least 20 different middle schools and high schools in attendance.
Last but not least, we are partnering with Jersey Mike's this month with a special Day of Giving on March 31st. Wear your favorite jersey and support athletes with your favorite meal!
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Mark Hanken
Chief Operating Officer
Special Olympics Oregon
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Katie Dunn has been participating in Special Olympics Oregon for 41 years. She is a Washington County athlete who loves softball, volleyball & weightlifting. Her proudest accomplishment in Special Olympics Oregon is being a member of the Athlete Input Council and Board of Directors. Katie takes her leadership role seriously by bringing athlete feedback to other board members,
"One thing I want everyone to know about me is that I love being on the Athlete Input Council so I can make sure that all the athletes feel happy and heard. I love being a leader."
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Alicia Meyers decided to take a leap of faith this season and coach virtually. The athletes she is coaching this season bonded through creating a “cheer video” for all of their fellow Winter Virtual Games participants which they uploaded through Flipgrid » view here
Alicia does see a silver lining from the challenges faced over the past year, “Athletes are being asked and empowered to solve problems in new ways. Virtual sports and other similar experiences are helping our athletes to learn more independence and skills to be self-starters.” -Mark Hanken
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Considering coaching athletes virtually?
“Go for it. Why not? Don’t let technology be a barrier. There are so many resources between SOOR staff, the website and the great network of other coaches and volunteers around the state. Everyone is there to help.”
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Cathy Gidley has participated and has supported the Super Plunge events a whopping 12 years (that’s over 250 plunges… and counting)!! It’s easy to say she is no stranger to getting cold and having fun! She is a happily retired VP of Corporate Partnerships at SOOR, but she hasn’t slowed down in supporting the Special Olympics athletes that inspire her love of continuing to plunge and sharing in the fun. |
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This year Cathy plunged in style by sliding out of an inflatable castle into the icy pool below. All while supporting other fellow plungers and wearing her superhero-themed costume to the tunes of what else, the ICE ICE BABY song!! Cathy continues to be a leader for the mission by promoting inclusion in the most fun and creatives ways! - Britt Oase
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Join us throughout the month of March as we celebrate and explore Respect, Inclusion, and Connection and the importance for ALL individuals, with and without intellectual disabilities to feel seen, heard, and valued in order to feel included.
Sign the pledge to join us to make inclusion a reality for all people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. Make your pledge all month long! www.soor.org/pledge
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"I pledge to spread inclusion by looking for myself in other people as well as appreciating the qualities that make them perfectly unique."
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Keep up with the SOOR Blog all month HERE
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For every inspiring Special Olympics athlete in Oregon, there are thousands more we would love to reach. Your gift will further our mission
Your support will continue to transform more and more lives through the power of sport.
Thank you to our volunteers, donors, and athletes!
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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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