Nick Mills of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been selected to compete in Alpine skiing at the Special Olympics World Winter Gaines in Italy. Nick has been a Special Olympics athlete for 20 years and has competed in Alpine skiing, athletics, basketball, bowling, soccer and volleyball. In addition to sports, he enjoys being on the Special Olympics South Dakota Athlete Leadership Council, serving as a Health Messenger and attending Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics events.
Thanks for Everything
After 34 years of dedicated service to SOSD, Melanie Frosch will be retiring. Her last day will be August 30th. Please help us celebrate this amazing woman!
My name is Izzy Mattecheck and I’m excited to start my new role as Law Enforcement Torch Run Liaison. I recently completed my master’s in Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology at
Minnesota State University, Mankato.
My sport experience includes fastpitch softball, basketball, volleyball and golf.
I’m happy to be back in my hometown and a member of the Special Olympics team!
Special Olympics has earned a remarkable spot in Morning Consult‘s Most Trusted Brands report for 2024! Out of 50 top nonprofits, Special Olympics ranks #5 out of 50 nonprofits tested.
The ranking reflects a survey of 4,415 U.S. adults conducted between July 9-11, 2024. This achievement highlights the dedication and impact of #SpecialOlympics in fostering inclusion and support for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities. #MostTrustedBrands#ChooseToInclude#InclusionRevolution
BURGER KING CONTINUES ITS SUPPORT OF SOSD
From August 15th – 31st, Burger King restaurants across the state will sell $1 icons to raise funds for the athletes of Special Olympics South Dakota.
Please visit your local Burger King restaurants and show your support for SOSD.
A huge thank you to Burger King employees and management for going the extra mile for us.
The Center for Disabilities Run, Walk & Roll is a race open to people of all ages and abilities. Their goal is to promote health and wellness for all people in South Dakota, and have fun while doing it! This event takes place in Sioux Falls on September 14th. Click for details.
Pampered Chef is a company that sells kitchen tools, food products, and cookbooks to help people prepare food at home.
During the month of August, Pampered Chef is donating 30% of sales we help generate.
Click Here to start shopping! Your orders will be mailed directly to you.
Special Olympics South Dakota has received a $17,375 donation from a golf tournament held June 1st at Prairie Winds Golf Course in Watertown.
The 40th Annual Swine Open Golf Event has donated all proceeds since 2012 to Special Olympics South Dakota to help the over 2,750 athletes across the state.
This year the event raised $9,875 for the athletes of SOSD. For the last 7 years Jeff and Paula Orthaus of Watertown have matched the event proceeds, making the 2024 grand total $17,375.
The Swine Open has helped raise over $125,000 for Special Olympics since 2012.
The fundraising committee of Mark Williams, Lisa Williams, Jim Redlinger and Bart Hallberg have been involved since its inception
We hope you were one of the lucky 1,000+ patrons of Sioux Falls Hy-Vee stores who were served up delicious root beer floats earlier this month.
Thank you Hy-Vee for hosting this event.
Gaming for Inclusion is back! Registration is now open for all Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners to participate. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, September 4 at 3p MT / 4p CT
This year’s theme, GFI_24: Become Legend, not only speaks to the skill of our athletes, but invites people from all backgrounds to become legendary by choosing to include.
Athletes and Unified partners will compete in a Unified Rocket League tournament on Saturday, September 14. The winners of this tournament will have the chance to compete in the Celebrity Showcase in Forza Motorsport on Saturday, September 21. These two events will be recorded and then broadcast later in October (exact date TBC).
Eligibility:
· Participation is only available to Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners.
· All participants must be 15 years or older on the day of the athlete tournament.
· Participants must have access to an Xbox console or a Gaming PC as well as access to high-speed internet.
The new school year brings on many emotions, happy, excited, nervous, literally all the feels. There is one thing that can help manage emotions and enhance your 2024-25 school year experience… INCLUSION.
Please contact Julie Briggs or Turner Gaines at the state office to get your school signed up to become a Unified Champion School.
If you are currently a Unified Champion School programs, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help, resources, or opportunities for you and your school.
Here is to a wonderful 2024-25! Good luck and happy learning.
START YOUR SPECIAL OLYMPICS JOURNEY HERE
If you are new to Special Olympics South Dakota and looking for a Delegation,
or if you are interested in changing your Delegation, Click Here to get started!
This link can also be found on the SOSD website.
3•21 Fun & Friends is a social group for families with young children, ages 0-10, who have a disability in the Sioux Falls area. Join our monthly meetups in the Special Olympics South Dakota Unify Center to socialize, play, and build a community. These meet-ups will be free of cost, in a setting where children can play with their peers and parents can connect. If you are reading this and wondering if this group is for you, it is! We hope you’ll come to our next meet-up.
