Latest news with #SpecialOlympicsIndiana
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
2025 Indiana Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The 2025 Special Olympics Summer Games in Terre Haute begin in one week and to kick off the events, local law enforcement and officials put their running shoes on. Officers from all branches come together, each year, to run alongside Special Olympics Indiana Athletes, signifying the beginning of the 2025 Special Olympics Summer Games. Quentin Seger is an officer at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. He said community is the most important aspect of this event. 'Coming together as a community is always important', Seger said. 'I'm a big believer in strength in numbers, so if a community can come together and show support for an organization, I think it's a huge help for a community to build a stronger bond and a relationship as a whole.' Participants ran three miles through downtown Terre Haute and Indiana State's campus, alongside Special Olympics athlete Shelby Baker, who was carrying the torch to start the race and cross the finish line. Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun said this run is just the start of local law enforcement's participation in the Special Olympics Summer Games. 'A lot of the local law enforcement agencies are actively involved, and I say actively because they don't just sponsor', Sakbun said. 'They do the high five line, they help compete in some of the events, they do the memorial run which means just so much to the athletes and the organization.' The Special Olympics Summer Games will begin in Terre Haute on June 6th, bringing together thousands of athletes, partners, and volunteers. Sakbun said the numbers do more than just help Terre Haute. 'Anytime you bring over 2,500 athletes, as well as their families, to the community that's obviously a huge boost', Sakbun said. 'I think what it also does, a unique event like this, is it inspires folks. The challenges that they go through to come through all of that and then champion at the end of it, honestly means a lot.' The Special Olympics Summer Games will take place from June 6th through the 8th, on the campuses of Indiana State and Rose-Hulman. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Special Olympics Summer Games coming in June
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)—Special Olympics Indiana's yearly Summer Games are coming back to Terre Haute on June 6-8. The event is set to bring in 2,400 athletes to the campuses of Indiana State University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. The three-day competition will consist of seven Olympic-type sports: bocce, bowling, cycling, powerlifting, swimming, track and field, and volleyball. special Olympics athletes and Unified Partners will represent 60 delegations from across Indiana. 'For the athletes, these three days are a chance to reunite with friends and celebrate their sports through competition and camaraderie,' Special Olympics Indiana President and CEO Jeff Mohler said. 'We are proud to host these athletes and look forward to seeing all their hard work these past few months pay off.' The games will begin with an opening ceremony featuring a parade of athletes, live entertainment, and the lighting of the cauldron at Hulman Center. Duke Energy will also be sponsoring Olympic Town, which will have a variety of activities, souvenirs, entertainment, and games. The Olympic Town will also feature a pickleball instruction and demonstration. There will also be a Healthy Athletes Area that will include free screenings and health education to promote healthy nutrition and habits. All activities are free and open to the public. Volunteers are still needed for support, and if you have any interest, you can visit to learn more and register. A full schedule for the games will be listed below. Opening Ceremony ISU's Holman Center Friday, June 6: 7-9 p.m. Bocce ISU's Marks Field Friday, June 6: noon-5 June 7: 8 a.m.-noon., 1:30-5 June 8: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bowling Terre Haute Bowl and Vigo Bowl Friday, June 6: noon-5 8 a.m.-noon., 1:30-5 June 8: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cycling ISU's Rec East Friday, June 6: noon-5 June 7: 8 a.m.-noon Powerlifting ISU's College of Health and Human Services North Gym Friday, June 6: noon-5 June 7: 8 a.m.-noon., 1:30-5 June 8: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Swimming Rose-Hulman Sports and Recreation Center Friday, June 6: 1-5 June 7: 8 a.m.-noon., 1:30-5:30 June 8: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Track and Field ISU's Gibson Track and North Field Friday, June 6: noon-5 June 7: 8 a.m.-noon., 1:30-5 June 8: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Volleyball ISU's Student Recreation Center Friday, June 6: noon-5 June 7: 8 a.m.-noon., 1:30-5 June 8: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Pickleball (Demonstration) ISU Parking Lot 14 Friday, June 6: 10 a.m.-4 June 7: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Olympic Town ISU Parking Lot 14 Friday, June 6: 10 a.m.-4 June 7: 9 a.m.-4 June 8: 9 a.m.-noon Healthy Athletes ISU's College of Health and Human Services Friday, June 6: 9 a.m.-4 June 7: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Special Olympics Indiana Law Enforcement Torch Run to take place in Terre Haute
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— Officers from across the Hoosier state are participating in the annual Special Olympics Indiana Law Enforcement Torch Run, one of which takes place in Terre Haute. On May 30, Indiana Law enforcement Officers will run alongside Special Olympics Indiana athletes carrying the Flame of Hope and signaling a start to the 2025 Summer Games. One of the two events will be taking place at the Bicentennial Unity Plaza in Indianapolis, while the other will take place at Indiana State University's Hulman Center in Terre Haute. The Terre Haute event will begin at noon and is a three-mile run that will take the participants through the city and campus. This run is done to help celebrate the power of acceptance, diversity, and inclusion. The torches used during the run will also be used to ignite the cauldron at the 2025 Summer Games Opening Ceremony that will be held on June 6 at ISU. Community leaders, residents, and businesses along the course are invited to come out and cheer on participants. These runs were first started in 1981 in Wichita, Kansas, and have grown into the largest international grassroots supporter for the Special Olympics. Funds raised by both Indiana events will go towards sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities at no cost to the participant. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
EPD participating in statewide Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser
ELKHART — On Friday from 5 a.m. to noon, Elkhart police will be participating in a statewide Cop on a Rooftop Fundraiser. The proceeds will benefit Special Olympics Indiana. Elkhart Police Department officers will be at Dunkin', 335 C.R. 6 East, Elkhart, and not physically on the roof collecting money. Hosted by the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Indiana, money collected at this statewide fundraiser goes directly to support programming for Special Olympics athletes in Indiana. Dunkin' guests who donate to Cop on a Rooftop will receive a coupon for a free doughnut. Guests who donate $10 or more will receive a coupon for a free medium hot or iced coffee. Now in its 11th year, Cop on a Rooftop has raised over $118,000 for Special Olympics Indiana. All money raised goes directly back to support the more than 19,000 athletes across the state-giving them opportunities to participate in a variety of sports programming, foster a healthy lifestyle develop leadership skills and create a sense of belonging and inclusion for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Chicago Tribune
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
‘Not too cold': Special Olympics supporters take the plunge at Valparaiso University
With temperatures around 30 degrees on Saturday, almost 100 brave Special Olympic athletes, coaches, students and community volunteers took the Polar Plunge at Valparaiso University. 'To see the community, the campus and the athletes come together for something like this, it's special to me,' said Chuck Garber, chairman of the local event and Valparaiso University's police chief, who brought the Polar Plunge to VU 15 years ago. 'My dad was a special needs school bus driver and when he got sick, I took over for him for a short time,' said Garber. 'That definitely inspired me to start working with Special Olympics.' 'Special Olympics teaches sports but it also teaches so much more in so far as leadership, and taking these athletes out of their shell, helping them with their life skills,' said Garber. 'People can really take a lesson from the Special Olympics athletes, ' said Garber. 'They don't see color, they don't see heavy or thin, it just doesn't matter, and we could all take note of that.' Paul Jegen of Chesterton has been a Special Olympics basketball, swimming and golf coach for 11 years. Jegen's son, Richard, 19, is a Special Olympics athlete. Jegen was plunging as part of his team, the Polar Bear Misfits. 'It's an honor to help fundraise for this worthy cause that has had a profound impact on so many lives, ours included,' said Jegen. Garnett Kirk, of Cedar Lake, and area director of Special Olympics Indiana, raised over $5,500.00 for the plunge. 'I get it out there by texting, emailing and using social media, besides being pretty outspoken about the cause,' said Kirk of his fundraising efforts. 'And there's a little bit of twisting arms.' 'It means so much to me to see these athletes compete and get medals, and I get the privilege of watching them grow throughout the years,' said Kirk. Special Olympics athlete Blake Anderson, 24, of Hebron, said he is a 5-year plunger. 'I play basketball, volleyball, bowling, softball and soccer,' said Anderson, who noted that bowling is his favorite. Anderson also got to carry the Special Olympics torch from the Hilltop Gym outside to the Polar Plunge pool where he was one of the first plungers. 'It was good,' said Anderson. 'Not too cold.' In its 26th year, the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics has generated more than $12 million for Special Olympics Indiana. Last year, more than 3,400 plungers raised $1.6 million. Saturday's event in Valparaiso raised $42,589.19. 'The funds go toward providing more than 19,000 athletes statewide with the opportunity to train and compete in more than 20 sports,' said Joe Frollo, director of marketing and communications for Special Olympics Indiana. 'This is a bucket list event that naturally brings together people from all backgrounds, highlighting the interests and values we share,' said Frollo. Around 30 members of the Valparaiso University football team came to plunge as part of a fundraising group, including Alex Goworowski, a junior from Chicago, who has been doing the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics since he was a senior in high school when he plunged into Lake Michigan for the cause. 'I really appreciate this event because I have been blessed with my physical abilities, and giving that gift of sport to help others is always a great feeling,' said Goworowski. 'The Polar Plunge brings the community together to benefit a great cause,' said Frollo. 'Any time individuals with and without intellectual abilities gather at the same event, it offers an opportunity for awareness and acceptance.' Special Olympics Indiana receives no state or federal funds for the sports training and events that take place year-round, relying on the generosity of volunteers and donors. To get involved or to find out more information, visit
