Welcome to the World of Special Olympics! Our blog is THE place for anyone with an interest in Special Olympics to see all kinds of cool stuff that we don’t get to share often enough.
The “we” will be an ever growing collection of staff, athletes, volunteers and others (aka “The Storytellers”) who come across so much great information and anecdotes about our movement, and its’ athletes, family members and volunteers, everyday but often don’t get to push it out in a public forum.We also post material now and then from “Guest Bloggers” who may or may not be associated with Special Olympics. You can see who we are on the right rail in the “Meet the Storytellers” area.*
And don’t worry, you’ll also get a healthy dose of the staples like news and information, but what we really want to focus on is highlighting all those little tidbits of joy, inspiration and courage that make Special Olympics what we are today – the world’s largest movement of inclusion and respect!
We also want to hear from you! Got a story, picture or video to share? Send it to us! Have a question about Special Olympics? Ask us! Want to hear more about a certain topic? Let us know, we’re here to serve you!
So bookmarks us, toss us in your RSS reader, sign up for email updates, or just come back here as often as you can to stay up to date with everything that’s happening, because as we like to say, with tens of thousands of events throughout the year across every continent in every region of the world – the sun never sets on the Special Olympics Movement!
See ya soon!
*Please note that any opinion shared on our blog, unless designated as an official statement by Special Olympics, is the opinion of the posting author or guest blogger and not the position of the Special Olympics organization.
The World of Special Olympics 
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AN OPEN LETTER TO MR STEPHENS ,
MR STEPHENS WILL YOU PLEASE POST YOU LETTER YOU WROTE TO PREZ OBAMA,BEING HANDICAPPED MY HOLE LIFE,I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS FOR POLITICAL GAIN,MY MOTIVE IS TO PROTECT US FROM POLITICAL ABUSE.
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I am writing you from Istanbul, Turkey.
I will really appreciate your urgent help for a Special Olympic Games winner Turkish athlette with down syndrome, BERK CANBULAT, from Istanbul, Turkey.
Berk has achieved to get the sufficient grade from the university antrence exam of Turkey. He has applied to attend the sports related part of Marmara University, a public university, and Halic University, a private university, of Turkey.
However the Universities are refusing to accept this athlette as a student. They refused him because of their lack of a special programme for special athlettes.
He deserves to reach his dream of being a university student, with his medal and university entrance exam grade. This is a perfect challenge and opportunity for a country, but those universities are refusing this opportunity because of a lack of programme and experience.
Indeed, one more fact about Turkey, the olympic games winner athlettes has a direct passing right to the sports related parts of univerties, without concerning the university entrance exam. Moreover, Berk’s father Oktay Canbulat, who is a former Turkish Natioanl Gymnastics Champion, has been demanding for this right since year 2010.
We need your support for this special athlette and for the future ones.
I want to highlight some of Berk’s achivements:
” Year 2000; winner of the 7th International Special Olympic Games held in Turkey”
” Year 2004; the World Gymnastics Champion, of the World Special Olympic Games held in Ireland ”
” Year 2004; the World Gymnastics Champion, of the Special Olympia World Summer Games held in Switzerland ”
* June 2010, Berk Canbulat is a high school graduate.
* August 2012, Berk Canbulat managed to pass the university entrance exam, held in Turkey.
In Europe or USA, some people with Down syndrome find employment as film and TV actors, write books, and become competent musicians and talented athletes. However, in Turkey this people with Down syndrome find obtaining employment difficult and even most of them can not go to school.
Berk demands his right to be a student at a university, to become a teacher and help children and teenagers with down sendrome.
We want to get the attention of the Turkish government, and change lives of thosands of uneducated children with down syndrome in Turkey. We tried for this, however could not get any response. Here in Turkey, there is no active nonprofit organisation that we can get help.
Turkish olympic games winner athlette with down syndrome, BERK CANBULAT, needs your care, attention and help to achieve his goals.
I am looking forward for your urgent attention and support, because if he is not going to be able to apply a university, he is going to loose all his hope. The fact is that, the people with down sendrome has a shorter life time to live and realise their dreams.
I really thank you for your help in advance and want to congradulate for this blog.
Yours Sincerely,
Berrin Sevgi
Istanbul/Turkey
I would love to contribute a story or blog post if able! I tried to contact via the email icon, but the “send to email” portion was blank.
Ryan, the email icon is for you to share the blog post with others via email, not to contact this blog. That’s why the address field is blank.
Great blog and very inspiring. Your readers might also be interested in learning more about research involving people with hearing loss on my blog: http://withyourcuppa.wordpress.com/
My post yesterday talks about the principles of Universal Design, aimed at increasing accessibility of products and services for all people.
Your blog is inspiring and I follow it everyday. Along with 5 classmates, I have started a blog called (dis)ability, and we support your cause, while trying to find adaptations to the environment for disabled people. We were wondering if you were interested to add it to your blogroll.
The address is dealforhope.wordpress.com. Feel free to visit it!
Good evening! Your blog is inspirational. I, together with 5 other friends have created a blog which you can access at dealforhope.wordpress.com, called (dis)ability, where we try to propose solutions to disabled people’s problems of adapting to the environment.
We are very supportive of your organisation and we have contributed with the regional Special Olympics from here in Romania.
We are looking forward to hearing about your feedback regarding our blog!
Congratulations again!
Hi, I’m married to a SO athlete also. We got married a month after Zach and Anna they are both my friends and Anna was a bridesmaid of my wifes who is a SO athlete.
SOK NAKURU PROGRAM LAUNCH
The Nakuru Program of Special Olympics Kenya (SOK) launched its monthly activities on Saturday 12th November at Nakuru’s ASK Showground Arena. Special Olympics Kenya is a non-profit sports organization that provides year round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic type sports for persons with Intellectual Disability. Our program is the first and largest in Africa and was founded in 1978. The founder of Special Olympics worldwide is the late Maria Shriver Kennedy, and to date the Kennedy Foundation are the international program’s largest supporter/
Over 100 athletes from local special and integrated schools as well as from support groups of the intellectually challenged were the stars of the occasion. The athletes neatly formed a colorful procession past the dais of the Arena.
Chief Guest, Her Worship Deputy Mayor Mrs. Damaris Mbuthia, lit the Olympic Torch to herald the start of the games.
Special Olympics caters for ages 7-70, and this was reflected by the wide range participants present. The first race, the 50 metre dash, kicked the games off to cheers from the watching crowd.
Another special aspect of Special Olympics is that all participants receive an award. Colorful ribbons were ceremoniously pinned on each athlete as they completed the events. Every athlete present received an award, with some getting up to four colourful ribbons pinned on them.
Master of Ceremonies, Mr Ben Methu, is also the Rift Valley Coordinator of SOK and deputy Principal of Nakuru Hill Special School. Other schools present were Vanessa Grant (Rongai), Njoro Special and Pangani Special Schools were all represented. Other participants were drawn from several support groups of the intellectually disadvantaged.
The track events were followed by soccer and volleyball, with parents, teachers and coaches present providing logistical and moral support. Officials from the local office of Special Olympics were also kept busy with the activities. The Head Office of SOK was ably represented by national treasurer Mr. Samuel Kiura. Mr. Kiura pledged support in the form of training of coaches for future Special Olympics activities. Assisted by SOK Nakuru Program Chairman Mr. Ndubi, they awarded certificates of appreciation to sponsors as well as to participating teachers. National Director Mr. Chris Opondo explained the genesis of the program, emphasizing the need for parents to accompany their children to the Special Olympics activities.
The games came to an end shortly before1pm, with SOK Nakuru Program Vice Chairman, Mrs. Margaret Anami, giving a vote of thanks to all who helped make the event a success. A special appreciation goes to the ASK Nakuru Branch, who generously allowed use of the ASK Arena for these games. Coca-Cola Nakuru Region are also thanked for their generous donation of bottled water for the event.
Parents, teachers and the very Special athletes all enjoyed a packed lunch as the rains came down in true traditional blessing of a great day.
Subject to availability of the venue, the games will be held monthly on the 2nd Saturday of the month.
Rsvp Secretary & PR Officer, J Wainaina, on 0713998139
Nakuru( a town in Kenya’s Rift Valley) recently launched Special Olympics at the local Agricultural Show (ASK)Ground Arena. To what email address may I send a one-page artice for possible inclusion in your blog?
We have a SO wedding coming up this June 9, 2012. Two long time athletes who have been together 17 years are finally taking the plunge. We’d love for a rep from SOI to join us. It would make their day even more special than ever.
Was wondering if you would be interested in adding my site to your blogroll – http://www.bringingthesunshine.com. I blog about my two “special” children, my son with Down syndrome and my daughter with cerebral palsy. The site is BringingtheSunshine(dot)com and a post that I published last week regarding “The Change-Up” was included on the home page of the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign.
P.S. Iwas referring to the Special Olympics soccer team from Longleaf Elementary in Trinity, Fl.
I’d like to know more about the special olympics team that took 2nd place in soccer at the Wide World of Sports
Diane
hallo Lutgard en Lotte,
LIES zal content zijn als ze jullie ziet , ik wens je een goede reis en een mooie ervaring , Lutgard , Lies heeft dit allemaal bereikt dankzij jouw , petje af!!!! veel grts ANIT
hallo LIES GIELIS , belgium ping pong
i hope you ‘ll have a great time there , i can only say go go go for it
un augurone a tutte le squadre ticinesi presenti in quel di Atene, in particolare alla squadra di bocce, e un in bocca al lupo alla mia mamma coach 🙂 <3, tornate vittoriosi !!!
We’d like to teach the world to Skoog
Everyone is invited to come and take part in our Skoog workshops during the Special Olympics.
We are very excited to introduce you all to our bouncy and brilliant new musical instrument – the Skoog!
Skoog is a British invention and we would love to show it to you in person and let you have a go at playing your very own tune. You will find us in the delegations tent in the festival village in the OAKA area. Hope to see you there.
Love the Skoog Team x
We’d like to teach the world to Skoog
Everyone is invited to come and take part in our Skoog workshops during the Special Olympics.
We are very excited to introduce you all to our exciting new musical instrument – the Skoog!
Skoog is a British invention and we would love to show it to you in person and let you have a go at playing your very own tune. You will find us in the delegations tent in the festival village in the OAKA area. Hope to see you there.
Love the Skoog team x
Great website. I’ll be sure to add it to my blogroll over at The Special Parent.
Tim – if you’re still looking, check out http://www.csuohio.edu/services/recreationcenter/
http://www.milestones.org/resource_recreation.htm
http://www.fieldstonefarmtrc.com/
specific to baseball:
Challenger Baseball- NE OH 440-526-0394
Challenger Baseball- Greater Cleveland East Side 216-297-0420
Your grandson seems to be in an area that has some pretty good resources. Best of luck. He’s blessed to have family who is working to make all the best for him.
As a mother to a son with severe ADHD and sensory dysfunction I know first hand how relentless both children and adults can be in their judgement against people they deem “different.” My son has been called the “R” word so many times i’ve lost count. He asked me one time if I wished he was like everyone else and I told him absolutely not! I love him for who he is good and challenging. I let him know if he was like everyone else then he wouldn’t be the special beautiful human being he is. One of the biggest things he was teased about was his shoes. His fine motor skills are years behind so we have an issue with laces. I always had to buy him shoes with velcro and that just caused him to be teased even more. My brother-in-law came to me one day and asked me to try a product he invented called Lacers. They are an elastic lacing system with a slide lock so no tying is involved. I bought my son a pair of new gym shoes put the lacers in and they have been a God send! He is now able to put his shoes on himself without the stress of being teased for having velcro shoes or being unable to tie his shoes. This product has been so amazing for my son I felt I needed to share it with everyone I feel can benefit from it. If anyone would like information on this product you can find them on the website http://www.lacerup.com
i can not wait tell i go to the world games i have not been out of united states before i am exsited to be a member of team USA for the world summer games this year of 2011 the other part that i want to be come an team USA athlete as coaches for down hill skiing how can i become one for team USA world games if you now can you email it to me from Kristina my email is kristinafritz30@comcast.net i hope that i can go to the Minnesota national games in 2014 can in new jeresy and i can meet the other new athletes from usa in united states do i need to fill out an app form for that to or is it just for the world games that you only app just wanted to ask thanks and send me and email that how i can become an athlete as coaches for Team USA down hill skiing
i am happy that i can be part of the team USA i want to find out how i can be part of the Beginner athletes as coaches with team USA for down hill skiing i have not gone to the Minnesota national games before that i hope that i can try that one out in the year of 2014 scents i already been to the world games of 2011 of this year but i have not gone the to national games from Minnesota do you have to app for that to if there is a form to fill out email it to me at kristinafritz30@comcast.net thanks from Kristina
I have a grandson that is 13. He is legally mentally challanged. He likes playing softball during the summer, but at his age group they are to far advanced now to play in a regular league. Is there anything in the Lake County area, of Ohio for him to participate in? Or can someone put me in contact with an agency that might know of a league or put me in contact with an agency that could at least give me some direction
Thanks
Hey Tim,
I would look for a Miracle League near you, or Special Olympic teams. If it has gotten to that part of Ohio, there could possible be a Unified team, with consists of those both with ID and without ID.
Best of luck!
D’oh! Thanks for the reminder! We were playing with some design stuff yesterday and forgot to put it back in! 🙂
Psst – I recommend adding a title to the blog website. As of now, there is no title that shows up when trying to subscribe to RSS feeds, and some other functions while exploring the site. 😉
OOps!