Articles in Fundraisers

2018 Tailgate for Teammates

Join us on October 6th for our Annual Tailgate for Teammates fundraiser.

Nothing brings fans together like a good old-fashioned tailgate! Tailgate for Teammates will offer a sense of camaraderie, inclusion and pride among athletes and their supporters. Guests will indulge in upscale tailgate cuisine, take part in fun and festive sports-themed activities, bid for prizes in an auction, and cheer for athletes competing in upcoming Special Olympics Iowa events.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, October 6, 2018
Location: West Des Moines Sheraton
Time: 6-9 p.m.
Tickets: Click here to purchase tickets

SAVE THE DATE! (pdf)

Auction Donation Form

For more information on sponsoring the event or to purchase tickets, contact:
Stuart Steffy, Individual Giving Officer
515-986-5520

ISU Ames Greek Polar Plunge Raises $295,000 for SOIA

The 22^nd annual Ames Greek Polar Plunge was held on Friday, April 6 at Iowa State University. The Polar Plunge is a signature fundraiser for Special Olympics and offers a unique opportunity for individuals and organizations to raise money and support Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA) athletes by plunging into frigid waters.

The Iowa State University Greek Community were the sole participants in the Plunge as part of their annual Greek Week. The Greek Community raised a total of $295,000 for SOIA with the Plunge this year.

The Polar Plunge is the single largest fundraising event for Special Olympics Iowa. Participants jumped into State Gym’s pool due to weather conditions. Athletes were also given the opportunity to plunge with their Greek Week teams whom they had been paired with all week to participate in events with.

Thank you to the Iowa State Greek Community for all of the hard work for this year’s Polar Plunge!

Check out more photos on our Facebook Page.

Staff Column: What the Polar Bear Plunge Means to Me

By Emma Finn, Marketing & Communications Intern (middle left)

This April will mark my third year of raising money and participating in the Greek Community’s “Polar Bear Plunge” at Iowa State University. As a freshmen I knew very little about what the Polar Plunge was. I knew to an extent what Special Olympics was, but I never fully understood what I was raising the money for. That year I raised my $75 for the plunge and participated.

Then my sophomore year came around and I became friends with Katie Buscher. Katie has been a volunteer for Special Olympics Iowa for years, along with her parents Dan and Mary and sisters Lizzy and Annie. The Buscher family’s passion as advocates and volunteers for SOIA is truly inspiring. Getting to know their family better and meeting Katie’s uncle Michael who is a SOIA athlete, helped me realize more about what SOIA really was. The Buscher families’ kindness, generosity and involvement with SOIA inspired me beyond belief. That year for the plunge I raised $575.

Fall of my junior year rolled around, which is when the SOIA State Volleyball tournament is held in Ames. One of my good friends, Mallory Majors, helped run the event. Mallory had such dedication and drive when helping organize the event. She came home that day after the tournament with a smile on her face and loads of stories that stuck with me. It was then that I decided I wanted to get more involved with SOIA. …

SOIA Charity of Choice at Des Moines Home and Garden Show February 8-11

Special Olympics Iowa is the charity of choice at this year’s Des Moines Home and Garden Show February 8-11 at the Iowa Events Center in Downtown Des Moines. There are several ways the show plans to give back to SOIA.

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SOIA athletes will be on hand to help throughout the event. An athlete will also get to decorate one of the mailboxes in the show’s annual “You Got Mail” display. Local celebrities and tastemakers will also take a plain old mailbox and turn it into a masterpiece. There will be a silent auction, so attendees could walk away with a one-of-a-kind mailbox. All proceeds will go towards SOIA.

On Media will be doing a promotion at the show on Friday for “Hero Day.” They plan to bring in The Justice Corps of Iowa (Super Heroes). Attendees can purchase a photo opp with them, with all proceeds from the photos going to Special Olympics.

If you buy tickets for the Home and Garden show and use the promo code OLYMPICS, $1 of your ticket price will be donated to SOIA.

Click here for more information, or to purchase tickets.

Firefighters’ Ball to Benefit Special Olympics Iowa

On Friday, November 10, Johnston-Grimes Metropolitan Fire Department Association and Johnston Professional Firefighters Local 4835 will host the annaul Firefighters’ Ball at Stoney Creek Inn in Johnston. Special Olympics Iowa is one of three charities chosen to receive proceeds from the event.

The charitable evening will feature hors d’oeuvres, special guests, a cash bar, dancing, silent auction, raffles and a photo booth.

The event cost is $40 per person or $70 per couple. Tickets are limited to 300 guests and are available to the public until Friday, October 20.

To purchase tickets please contact Ginger at jgmfdfirefightersball@gmail.com or 515-276-5182.

Event Poster

SOIA at the 2017 Iowa State Fair

Come join Special Olympics Iowa at the 2017 Iowa State Fair!

On Friday, August 18, SOIA will be co-hosting the second annual Adaptive Sports on the Grand Concourse day with our friends from Adaptive Sports Iowa and Courage League Sports. The day will consist of games of power soccer, wheelchair basketball and bocce as well as equipment demonstrations and program overviews. It will be a day to show how sports can be adaptive for inclusion so everyone can participate. …

On Saturday, April 1 the Iowa State University Greek Community and SOIA hosted the 21st annual Ames Greek Polar Plunge.

The ISU Greek Community were the sole participants in the Plunge as part of their annual Greek Week. This year the Greeks raised over $377,132.94, a record high for the single largest one-day fundraising event for Special Olympics Iowa. Participants jumped into an above ground 8,500 gallon pool located on the west side of Memorial Union on the ISU campus.

Because of the wonderful effort of the students, the ISU Greek Community is now officially a Champion Statewide Partner for Special Olympics Iowa.

Thank you to everyone who donated, supported, and assisted with this event!

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MACC Foundation’s Annual 5K Fun Run to Benefit SOIA

Martial Artists for Children and Community will host their annual 5k Fun Run on Saturday, May 13 in Grimes. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Special Olympics Iowa.

MACC is a 501c3 non-profit organization closely affiliated with Martial Arts America Tae Kwon Do school in Ankeny, Iowa. This organization is designed to provide assistance to the children and community through charity and donation of resources, people and time.

The run will start at the Grimes Community Complex, where parking and vendors will be located. The race will begin at 8 a.m. Registration is open online NOW for $35. If you register and pay online by April 29 you’ll receive a free event T-shirt. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. the day of the event for those who have not pre-registered online.

Questions? Contact MACC Vice President Alex Bishop at bishopa9311@hotmail.com.

LETR Extravaganza Dance and Auction

Join us for our Law Enforcement Torch Run Extravaganza (previously known as the Torch Run Dance & Auction) hosted by the Des Moines Police Department on Saturday, January 21st from 7-11 p.m. at Hy-Vee Hall.

Tickets are $20 per person.

The night includes a DJ, appetizers, photo booth, refreshments and a live and silent auction! Each attendee will receive and entry for a $100 cash drawing donated by Jeannie’s Bottle.

Purchase tickets online
Tickets can also be bought the night of the event.

Casey’s Cup Campaign raises over $39,000 for Special Olympics Iowa

Casey’s General Stores throughout Iowa helped raise funds for Special Olympics Iowa this summer with the Casey’s Cup Campaign. Starting May 19 just in time for the SOIA Summer Games and running through Labor Day, they showcased athletes and law enforcement officials on their 44 ounce cups, with a portion of the proceeds from the cups sold going toward Special Olympics Iowa.

Casey’s General Store also supports Special Olympics Iowa athletes by providing financial support through Law Enforcement Torch Run® signature fundraisers, including the annual Truck Convoy, a golf tournament and much more. As a Premier Statewide Partner, Casey’s General Store has provided approximately $87,000 over the years to directly benefit Special Olympics Iowa athletes across the state. …