One word easily describes our posting this week on the blog – SLACK! So let’s fix that shall we? Here’s some cool stuff that’s come into our mailbox or been snagged from the vast reaches of the InterWeb that you’ll want to read up on!
Drop and give me 30!
Andy Delafield, a Special Olympics Team USA athlete from North Carolina, made a special request to run with the Marines after a P&G promotional event at the Cherry Point Marine Corp Air Station in Havelock, NC. Andy ran more than 2 miles with a platoon of our nation’s elite. Then he requested they follow his post-run routine and drop to the ground for 30 push-ups! The marines were very impressed! Andy will compete in the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs, plus a relay at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece.
Check out the video of the push-ups below and read the full story on SONC’s website.
New merchandise in the R-word Store!
We continue to add merchandise in the R-word store for 3.2.11, this year’s day of awareness to Spread the Word to End the Word! Check out the latest – coffee mugs, bracelets and more! Coming soon – pledge banners and business cards! [UPDATE: banners and cards are now ready for download on our resource page! Look under “General Information”]
From our friends at Special Olympics East Asia:
Dr. Shi Derong, Special Olympics Shanghai Chairman and Vice President of Shanghai Special Care Foundation, Mr. Takeshi Kaneshiro, Emporio Armani Spokesman for Greater China and Mr. Fabrizio Dosi, CEO Asia Pacific , Giorgio Armani jointly presented the Special Olympics East Asia , Shanghai Special Care Foundation and Armani group charity partnership celebration at the new Emporio Armani shop at the Peninsula Hotel.
To express its meaningful support for this international activity, Emporio Armani Peninsula Shanghai will donate some turnover of December to Special Olympics East Asia through Shanghai Special Care Foundation for the development of Special Olympics movement in the region.
EMPORIO ARMANI spokesman Mr. Takeshi Kaneshivo attended the event
Mr. Shi Derong, Special Olympics Shanghai Chairman and Vice Chairman of Shanghai Special Care Foundation, Mr. Takeshi Kaneshiro and Mr. Fabrizio Dosi, CEO Asia Pacific, Giorgio Armani
Live interview on Mr. Takeshi Kaneshivo
Mr. Takeshi Kaneshivo and Shanghai Special Care Foundation leaders
Youth Service America & Special Olympics are offering grants to help battle childhood obesity
The YSA & SO program awards grants of $500 and $1000 to help youth create and implement local, hands-on programs to fight childhood obesity. Each grant also engages participating youth in service-learning, an effective teaching and learning strategy that supports student learning, academic achievement and workplace readiness. Get Into It® grant projects launch on Spread the Word to End the Word Day (March 2, 2011) and culminate on Global Youth Service Day (April 15-17, 2011). Learn all about the grants!
SO Massachusetts using sport to promote understanding
This is a cool story from our pals up in snowy Massachusetts. They used a basketball tournament as the catalyst to spark conversation about respect, inclusion and understanding among people of different religions, ethnic backgrounds, and abilities. Read the full story at The Metro-West Daily News.
Photo by Kathleen Culler/for Daily News and Wicked Local
The World of Special Olympics 
Can I just say what a relief to discover someone that genuinely knows what they’re talking about online.
You actually know how to bring a problem to light and
make it important. A lot more people must look
at this and understand this side of your story. I was surprised you aren’t more popular given that you certainly possess the gift.