Contact:         Michelle Haney, SOIA Director of Volunteers, Training & Unified Sports at 515-986-5520 or mhaney@soiowa.org

Who:               90 golfers total, 45 Special Olympics Iowa athletes partnering with 45 athletes without intellectual disabilities. Principal Financial Group is the corporate sponsor. Local sponsors include: Akron Chiropractic, Akron Golf Club, Knights of Columbus and People’s Bank.

What:             This 9-hole alternate shot Unified Golf tournament is a part of the Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA) Unified Sports program which provides the opportunity for SOIA athletes and their partners to develop a better understanding and respect for one another's abilities and limitations.

When:             10:00 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6

Where:           Akron Golf Club in Akron, Iowa

“Unified Sports allow athletes to improve their physical fitness, sharpen their skills, and challenge the competition while having fun at the same time,” said Special Olympics Iowa Director of Volunteers, Training & Unified Sports Michelle Haney. “Both the athletes and their partners come away from these events with a deep sense of pride and support for one another.”

Principal Financial Group is the main corporate sponsor for Unified Golf events in Iowa. Special Olympics Iowa is a nonprofit organization serving Iowans with intellectual disabilities since 1968. SOIA provides training and competitions in 23 Olympic-type sports for nearly 11,000 athletes and their Unified Sports Partners, representing each of Iowa’s 99 counties. For more information, please call 515-986-5520 or visit www.soiowa.org.        

###