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Photo copyright by the Gazette
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This website is designed and donated by:
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Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA) is a nonprofit organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities in all 99 counties of the state. Iowa has 12 areas throughout the state that served more than 11,350 athletes and their Unified Sports Partners in 2008.
Since 1968, Special Olympics Iowa has been serving the needs of children and adults with intellectual disabilities by providing sports training and competition in 22 Olympic-type sports. These programs would not be possible without the generous support of more than 15,000 volunteers.
The mission of Special Olympics Iowa is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities giving them continued opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
You can Be a fan® of Special Olympics Iowa! If you are a fan of sports that create unity, athletes who inspire, and connections that foster acceptance, then you are already are a fan of Special Olympics.
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WHAT
Spread
the Word to End the Word™ is an ongoing effort by Special Olympics,
Best Buddies International and our supporters to raise the consciousness of
society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word “retard(ed)” and
encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word.
The
campaign, created by youth, is intended to engage schools organizations and
communities to rally and pledge their support at www.r-word.org with a goal of
reaching 100,000 pledges.
WHEN
Most
activities are centered annually in March, but people everywhere can help
spread the word throughout their communities and schools year-round thru pledge
drives, youth rallies and online activation.
WHO
The
effort is spearheaded by college students Soeren Palumbo (Notre Dame 2011) and
Tim Shriver (Yale 2011), and led by young people, Special Olympics athletes and
Best Buddies participants across the country. Celebrity activist John C.
McGinley of the hit show “Scrubs” is a spokesperson for the campaign.
WHY
Respectful
and inclusive language is essential to the movement for the dignity and
humanity of people with intellectual disabilities. However, much of
society does not recognize the hurtful, dehumanizing and exclusive effects of
the word “retard(ed).” It is time to address the minority slur
“retard(ed)” and raise the consciousness of society to its hurtful effects.
HOW
Visit
www.r-word.org to learn how you can
Spread the Word to End the Word.
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A new store
specifically designed for Special Olympics Iowa is now available online. A wide variety of clothing (t-shirts, sweatshirts, polos, shorts, and fleece jackets) and
other items (mugs, mouse pads, wall clocks, blankets, coasters, ornaments, and magnets) are available. The online store
allows you to customize each item with one of our four available designs.
Check out the site here!
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