Special Olympics In The News

Week of 22-30 June 2009

General Media Highlights From Around the World

-- The Morning Sun (USA), 30 June-- Special Olympics Coach in Kansas Chosen by People Magazine as an "All-Star Among Us"
John Lair of Pittsburgh, Kansas, (pictured at left with Special Olympics athlete Jay Horn) was chosen as one of 30 finalists in the People Magazine and Major League Baseball "All-Stars Among Us" contest. Lair has been a Special Olympics coach since 2001. 
"They called me Monday morning and gave me the news, and I was pretty emotional when I heard," Lair said. "I'm pretty humbled by all this. Anybody who knows me knows that I volunteer with Special Olympics because I love it, not because I want recognition."
As a finalist, Lair has a chance to be chosen as the top All-Star Among Us July 14.
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-- The Gazette (UK), 27 June --  South Gloucestershire Council's help for athletes at Special Olympics
South Gloucestershire Council is helping a team of athletes go for gold at the Special Olympics this summer. The authority has donated £1,000 to pay for new sports kit for the 11 swimmers and footballers, with learning difficulties who will be heading for Leicester this July to compete. The athletes are all involved with Bristol and South Gloucestershire Union of Disability Sports. The competitors will be among more than 2,700 athletes representing 19 Special Olympics regions across the country, competing in a range of Olympic-style sports competitions.
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-- Longford Leader (Ireland), 26 June -- Special Olympics raises €43,000 in Co Longford
The county of Longford has received warm praise and thanks from Special Olympics Ireland for its generous and successful fund-raising drive which saw approximately €43,000 collected over a five month period. Speaking on behalf of County Longford Special Olympics, Fundraising Coordinator, Marian Kiernan said: "The Special Olympics headquarters in Dublin were over the moon with the Longford fundraising initiative. It is over and above what we raised before in this county."
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-- La Patria (Bolivia), 24 June -- Good participation in tennis for special children
Katerin Merino obtained a gold medal. The delegation conquered 7 medals. The sportswoman Katerin Merino, obtained the gold medal in the national competition of tennis, reserved for special children, the same one who the past verified weekend in the city of Sucre, where were present the delegations of eight of the nine departments of Bolivia. The Bolivian Federation in coordination with Special Olympics Bolivia, organized this event of particular importance for special children. In the event also they stood out most of the sportsmen of Oruro who attended that national event that she selects to the best ones for international matches.
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-- This day Online (Nigeria), 25 June -- Lagos Rule Special Olympics
Lagos State team has emerged winner at the Special Olympics Nigeria (SONigeria) Southwest regional games held at the Gateway International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode. Being the largest contingent at the three-day tournament, Lagos mopped 30gold, 19silver and 18bronze medals to beat strong contender, Ogun to the second position.
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Summer Games-- KOVR-SAC (CBS) - Sacramento, CA News (US), 28 June – Special Olympics Summer Games
Not even the searing temperatures could stop the athletes at the largest at Special Olympics sporting competition in northern California.
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-- The Idaho Statesman (US) 26 June -- Idaho Special Olympics Summer Games: Athletes arrive
When Coty McMurry lights the cauldron to open Idaho's Special Olympics Summer Games on Friday, he'll represent not just a record 700 athletes, but also a Fruitland family with an extraordinary commitment to Special Olympics.
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-- The Columbus Dispatch (US), 26 June -- Special Olympics summer games start today
About 2,600 athletes - young and old - with intellectual disabilities traveled to Columbus to participate in this weekend's Special Olympics Ohio's summer games, which kicked off this afternoon.
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Law Enforcement Torch Run
-- The Doings-Clarendon Hills (US), 30 June -- Former chief still carries torch for Special Olympics
Former Clarendon Hills Police Chief Tom Reasoner knows when given the chance to try, a Special Olympian will thrive. "The parents are often told their child can't do something or don't expect them to do something," said Reasoner, a Lisle resident. But through his fund-raising efforts and volunteer service to Special Olympics Illinois, Reasoner has seen first-hand how its programs such as Young Athletes give children with what he calls different abilities, not disabilities, the opportunity to participate in sports.
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-- The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH (US), 26 June --  Torch run truly 'special' for two Walton Hills officers
For about 30 minutes Monday afternoon a 2.3-mile stretch of Alexander Road became the most important distance around for many area athletes. That's because that was the pavement that was pounded by two Walton Hills police officers who took part in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics.
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-- Somerset Reporter (US), 25 June -- Somerset County Sheriff's Office supports Special Olympics
Members of the Somerset County Sheriff's Office recently participated in the New Jersey Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. The runners joined the Special Olympics Torch Run at the ShopRite in Bound Brook and continued to Van Derveer School on Union Avenue in Somerville. "The Sheriff's Office is very proud to support this worthwhile fund raiser for the past 12 years," said Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano.
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Health News
-- Lions India Magazine (India), June – Pilot Project in India Offers Free Eye Surgeries for Special Olympics Athletes 
With enthusiastic Lions Club volunteers, dedicated vision care professionals, and free vision screenings, the Healthy Athletes event in Siliguri, India in late May will look like many others before it. One difference, however, will mean life-changing eye surgeries for many participating Special Olympics athletes. The event will be part of a new initiative that provides free follow-up care to athletes who have cataracts, river blindness, glaucoma or other serious vision issues.
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-- RFID Journal (US), 22 June -- Special Olympics Scores with RFID
Special Olympics is a big believer in using the latest technology to improve processes and meet its goals. In 1997, the organization launched its Healthy Athletes initiative, a global effort to provide free health screenings to athletes in seven areas: vision, hearing, oral health, lifestyle, general fitness, podiatry and sports physicals. In 2003, the organization introduced the Healthy Athletes Software (HAS) database, a Web-based software program created to store the collected health-screening information. And in 2006, it began field-testing a radio frequency identification system, provided by Fudan Microelectronics of Shanghai, China, to facilitate the health screenings and transmit the information to the HAS database. Read article

-- Vermont State Dental Society (US), 22 June – Special Smiles at Summer Games
Video clip of VSDS Member dentists working at the Special Olympics in Burlington
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