Latest news with #SpecialOlympics'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Police run torch for Special Olympics this week all across Vermont
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Police, athletes, and members of the military will be running for a cause throughout Vermont for the next four days. The annual Law Enforcement Torch Run in Vermont will be held this week, from June 3 through 6. Members of the law enforcement community will be carrying the Flame of Hope, the Special Olympics' equivalent to the Olympic Torch, from the four corners of the state all the way to St. Michael's College in Winooski. It is the largest community fundraiser for the Special Olympics organization, which holds the Special Olympics World Games every two years. The torch run will be followed by the annual Special Olympics Vermont Summer Games on June 6 and 7. This year will feature two sports, bocce ball and basketball, with hundreds of athletes joining in. Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge underway this Saturday The event will start in four places simultaneously: in Derby Line and Highgate Springs in northern Vermont, and in Brattleboro and Bennington in southern Vermont. Four torches will be carried separately Tuesday through Thursday, before joining together for two final legs on Friday from Essex Junction to St. Michael's College. Lake Champlain will also get to feature in the event, as one of the four torches will be carried by the Colchester Boating Unit and U.S. Coast Guard over the water from Bayside Beach in Colchester over to Burlington. How staying 'up-to-date' with water quality at Burlington beaches can keep you safe According to the Special Olympics Vermont website, the event brings together more than 91,000 law enforcement officers from 46 countries each year as 'part of a global movement that works year-round to foster inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities by using the power of sport.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
KSP's 'Cover the Cruiser' returns April 24
During the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Kentucky State Police launched its 'Cover the Cruiser' campaign after the annual Special Olympics' Law Enforcement Torch Run was called off. 'It was one of those (things) that kind of popped up (in wondering), 'How can we give back to this organization when so many things were canceled?',' said Trooper Corey King, public affairs officer with KSP's Post 16 in Henderson. 'And this was one of those events where we're like, 'Hey, we have our cars and we have the personnel that's working 24/7 anyway ….' ' The initiative saw troopers from all 16 posts and its state headquarters in Frankfort parked at various businesses in an effort to have members of the public 'cover' police vehicles with Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics icons for a minimum $1 donation for Special Olympics Kentucky. '... (Troopers) were able to park at an established business, and at that point there was that social distancing that people were really honoring …,' King said. '... We just popped up one of our cars at an established business — many of them were gas stations and things like that — and so many people were itching to continue to be part of the community and give back in some way.' In its first year, the statewide program raised more than $16,000 in donations and has become a yearly tradition ever since. 'It raised quite a bit of money (the first year),' King said, 'and it's kind of been a staple for us in helping boost the Torch Run ….' The sixth annual campaign in Owensboro, led by Post 16, will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 24 at the Audubon Federal Credit Union, 1429 Breckenridge St. — marking the event's second year at the location. According to AFCU's April edition of its newsletter, 'Audubon Angle,' guests scheduled to be on-site include Chad Benefield with WBKR, Lauren Patterson with New Beginnings Sexual Assault Support Services, Jill Thompson with The Center — along with the organization's new mobile unit — Jennifer Higdon with kynect, Terry Niles of Sam's Club, Jon Tornatta with Healthy Spaces, Sgt. Chris Bond of the U.S. Air Force, Sfc. Nathan Foss of the U.S. Army, Mandy Masterson of BHG Realty and members of the SOKY from Owensboro-Daviess County. Real Hacienda will also be available via its food truck for food purchases. According to SOKY's website, 'Cover the Cruiser' raised over $67,000 in its first four years, with 2024 alone bringing in about $11,000, with all proceeds going toward SOKY's sports, health and school community building programs throughout the state. '... This is one of those (programs) where we are strategically placed across the commonwealth, (making) it a good way to not only engage with the public who don't always get to have any interaction with troopers that are on the scene but also many of the Special Olympics' athletes who come to attend,' King said. '... They get to meet those that are here in our community, and (personally) see where (the donations) go.' Besides supporting a good cause, King finds the event has a unique element in regards to people getting up-close and personal with a law enforcement vehicle. '... I think this is the only time that I know of that you can actually graffiti a state trooper car,' King joked. '... We have so many young kids that come with their parents, grandparents, they come eat, they make a donation — but we get to (establish) a relationship with them. 'Getting to know the kids of our community is one of the best parts of my job,' King said, 'if not the best part of my job ….' Donations will be accepted via cash and Venmo. Additional 'Cover the Cruiser' events are listed online at If unable to attend any 'Cover the Cruiser' events, donations are also being accepted by SOKY at
Khaleej Times
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
'We know the barriers': UAE-led research shapes inclusive policies with Special Olympics athletes' help
'We are the ones living this — we know what real inclusion feels like, and we can tell when it's not working,' said Benjamin Haack, a board member of Special Olympics Australia and longtime global advocate for inclusion. Haack is a co-researcher with an Abu Dhabi-backed research initiative which aims to boost the inclusion of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at schools worldwide. The initiative, funded through a $25-million grant from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, seeks to close critical evidence gaps in inclusive education and drive systemic change worldwide. Haack's comments were made in a video interview shared by the Special Olympics Global Centre for Inclusion in Education, as the organisation unveiled a first-of-its-kind global research agenda led from Abu Dhabi. The agenda, officials say, is not just about schools and classrooms — it's about who gets to shape the systems that define inclusion. 'Too often, research about inclusion in education and sports is done without including the voices of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities,' said Sammy Kamande, a Special Olympics athlete from Kenya and member of the Research Collaborative. 'But we are the ones living these experiences — we know the barriers, and we know what real inclusion looks like.' Both Kamande and Haack are athlete-leaders who have taken on co-researcher roles within the Special Olympics' global initiative. 'We've got to learn how to deal with power in a far better way,' Haack said. 'What I would say to governments is when they say that they want to be individualised, they need to start living up to what they actually mean. They need to not just look at the pure economics … They need to think more about investment and less about short-term outcomes.' The new agenda, developed over two years and across 25 countries, was built to address the global lack of data, direction, and accountability when it comes to inclusive education, Salyne El Samarany, vice president of the centre, and Ahmad Al Gergawi, director of Communications and Partnerships, said in an interview with Khaleej Times. 'This is a call to action for policymakers, researchers, and universities to help us build the evidence we need,' said El Samarany. 'The research agenda outlines six global themes, from teacher professional development to inclusive use of AI. But at its core, it's about ensuring that people with disabilities are included in the design of every programme, every intervention.' El Samarany added that research shows students benefit when inclusion is done well — academically, socially, and even in long-term wages. 'We now have enough data to say that models like Unified Champion Schools reduce stigma and improve outcomes. But we still lack sufficient evidence for many other programmes. That's why this work is so critical.' Al Gergawi said the work began after the 2019 World Games in Abu Dhabi, and has since grown into a global coalition. 'When we first approached government agencies, many thought inclusion is only in sports,' he said. 'We told them: AI is reshaping education, but no one's talking about how it impacts people with IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilties). Once we showed up with data, and the voices of our athletes, they listened.' Since its founding in 2020, the centre has published over 14 research briefs and launched projects with partners like Education Cannot Wait. 'We're embedding research into every intervention,' said El Samarany. 'We want teacher professional development, AI tools, and policy advocacy to all align with this agenda. That's how we drive systems change.' 'One of the most powerful tools we have is data,' said El Samarany. 'We've worked closely with the World Bank to highlight that students with disabilities are, on average, seven percentage points less likely to complete primary school than their peers. That's a huge gap — and when we present that data to governments, it changes the conversation. It becomes harder to ignore.' Al Gergawi added that the economic case for inclusion is just as urgent: 'Excluding people with disabilities from education and employment can reduce a country's GDP by up to 7 percent. Once policymakers see that exclusion is not just a moral issue but a measurable economic loss, they start to pay attention.' A symposium is also being planned in Abu Dhabi later this year, where officials hope to name 'theme partners' to champion each of the six priority areas. 'Just like the SDGs (sustainable development goals) had goalkeepers, we're looking for institutions that will not only support the research, but help implement it on the ground,' she said. The ultimate goal? A world where people like Sammy and Benjamin don't just inspire policy, they help shape it. 'This agenda is not just about research,' Kamande said. 'It's about making sure our voices help shape the solutions that will lead to real change.' The centre's reach is already showing results worldwide. In Romania, Special Olympics has partnered with the Ministry of Education to embed Unified Champion Schools (UCS) values directly into classrooms, reaching over 153,000 youth across 258 schools. The programme has been recognised nationally, with President Klaus Iohannis awarding the team the Order of Merit for their human rights work. They've also developed inclusive manuals now used by teachers across the country, covering topics from youth leadership to inclusive sports. In Rwanda, more than 361,000 students have been reached through 210 Unified Champion Schools, in a partnership closely coordinated with the Ministry of Education. The country now serves as a Regional Hub of Excellence for Unified programming across Africa, hosting a recent workshop in Kigali that brought together education leaders from 14 countries to share best practices. 'Participating in Unified Sports has changed my life,' said Unified athlete Irafasha Patience. 'I've made friends I never would have met and learned that we all have something valuable to contribute.'
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Kentucky State Police Cover the Cruiser returns statewide
HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) – Kentucky State Police's Cover the Cruiser event will make its return across the commonwealth later this month to support Special Olympics Kentucky. According to Special Olympics' website, Troopers across the commonwealth will be parked at various businesses to cover their cruisers in Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics icons. Organizers state one could visit at any location to receive an icon to personalize and tape to a KSP cruiser. All proceeds will go to provide Special Olympics Kentucky sports, health and school community building programs throughout Kentucky. One will also be able to give on site via Venmo in addition to cash. The event is scheduled to start on April 21 with Post 2 and Post 16 slated to be featured on April 24. According to its schedule, Post 2 will be at the Central City Casey's at 645 S. 2nd Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Post 16 will be at Audubon Federal Credit Union at 1429 Breckenridge Street from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Click here for the full schedule and locations. Organizers state the event is in its sixth year and has raised more than $67,000 in its first four years, including over $10,800 a year ago. For more information, one call Development Director James Lawrence at 502-695-8222 or email at jlawrence@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Arab Times
27-01-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Italian Ambassador supports Kuwaiti athletes ahead of Special Olympics
KUWAIT CITY, Jan 27: Italian Ambassador to Kuwait Lorenzo Morini commended Kuwait's dedication to supporting and empowering individuals with disabilities and highlighted the nation's efforts to enhance their inclusion in all aspects of life. In a statement during his reception of the Kuwaiti delegation set to participate in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, from March 8 to 15, Ambassador Morini emphasized the embassy's commitment to facilitating the delegation's preparations. He assured that all necessary measures were being taken to create a supportive environment for the athletes, reflecting the strong and enduring ties between Italy and Kuwait. The Ambassador expressed pride in Italy hosting this prestigious global event and welcomed the participation of Kuwaiti athletes with intellectual disabilities. He wished the delegation success, hoping their achievements would further enrich Kuwait's impressive record in disability-inclusive sports. Rehab Bursli, National Director of the Special Olympics Kuwait, shared that the Kuwaiti team would compete in the ice skating and ice running events with three athletes representing the country. She reaffirmed Kuwait Special Olympics' commitment to equipping athletes with the tools and resources needed to showcase an admirable image of Kuwaiti sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities on the world stage.
