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August 2015
SOILL Athletes Compete on World Stage

Illinois delegation to 2015 World Games arrives in California
Illinois now has some more world champions in its midst. 
On July 21, 24 Special Olympics Illinois athletes and coaches left Chicago and made the 2,015-mile journey to sunny southern California to join the rest of the Special Olympics USA team for the 2015 World Summer Games in Los Angeles.
 
Illinois was well-represented as athletes from the state competed in athletics, aquatics, equestrian and gymnastics, in addition to a traditional 7-a-side soccer team.
 
SO USA's first stop in California was Riverside. The team spent July 21-24 on the campus of the University of California-Riverside for a pre-Games camp. On July 24, SO USA made the short drive to Los Angeles and joined over 6,500 athletes from over 165 countries at the campuses of USC and UCLA.  From July 25 to Aug. 2, it was game on!
 
All team members agree it was a life-changing experience and lasting memories were made. Read the experiences of Daniel Smrokowski, SOILL athlete and founder of Special Chronicles; Mary Ellen Bogucki, mother of athlete and Opening Ceremony singer Breanna Bogucki; and Staci McManus, mother of World Games equestrian athlete. View photos and results from the Games.
From the President & CEO
Dave Breen
Dave Breen

At Special Olympics, we talk about the athletes who embody the human spirit. During the past month, I was honored and fortunate to experience real-life examples. 

From the Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby to the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games, athletes here at home and around the world are exhibiting human spirit with their courage, sportsmanship and selfless attitude. Read More
Chance of Lifetime for Unified Soccer Team
Members of the Chicago Fire Unified All-Star Team 

Earlier this month, the Chicago Fire Unified Soccer All-Star Team had the opportunity of a lifetime. What began with tryouts in April turned into an unforgettable experience for the athletes, Unified Partners, coaching staff and more.

The team traveled alongside the Chicago Fire first team to Portland, Ore., where they competed against the Special Olympics Oregon Timbers Unified All-Star Team on Aug. 6. Uniformed identical to the Chicago Fire, the All-Stars were treated like first-class athletes. Read More

Team Clover Pulls for Office Pride, A Good Cause

Clover Technologies Group of Ottawa's Team Clover will be participating for their 7th year in the Special Olympics Illinois Plane Pull on Sept. 19 at O'Hare International Airport. Team Clover is made up of volunteer Clover associates, family and friends.

Team Clover at the 2014 Plane Pull
The Plane Pull features the ultimate tug-of-war competition, as teams of up to 20 battle a UPS Airbus A300, weighing more than 190,000 pounds. Each team raises a minimum of $1,000 to participate (only $50 per person for a team of 20) and competes to pull the plane 12 feet in the fastest amount of time.

Team Clover had an internal competition to see who could raise the most money for Special Olympics when they first started. "I guess it started out as office pride, but it turned more into helping out a good cause," says Bryan Hess, Clover associate. Now, all participants of the team would agree that they really love the team atmosphere this event creates. Read More
 
To learn more about this event or register a team, visit www.illinoisplanepull.com, email Sandy Nash or call 800-394-0562. You can also view our Team Captain Guide which covers everything you need to get your group up and running. 
Couple Gives Back By Taking Coaster Challenge

On Sept. 27, Special Olympics Illinois will partner with Six Flags Great America for the 2nd Annual Coaster Challenge. So far, more than 301 participants have registered to participate on teams like Jerry and Carol's High Rollers.


To date Jerry and Carol have raised a combined total of more than $2,300 for their team and are currently the top fundraisers for the Coaster Challenge.

Visit www.coasterchallenge.com to sign up or to support a registered participant. Read More
Ducks Race to Another Record-Breaking Year
 
This year's Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby had another record-breaking year. Companies and individual friends and family teams from all over the Chicagoland area and throughout Illinois came together to sell 57,227 duck adoptions. Each duck adoption entered the adoptee into a raffle to win a new Chevy Trax and other fantastic prizes.

Nearly 60,000 rubber ducks cascade into the Chicago River from Columbus Drive bridge
At 1 p.m. on Aug. 6, all 57, 227 ducks splashed into the Chicago River. Thousands of onlookers counted down the release and watched from the shores while hundreds of thousands watched the 30-minute live broadcast on FOX 32 as the ducks floated down the river to the finish line. The crowd cheered as Duck Ambassador and Special Olympics Illinois athlete Nick Lorenz held up the winning duck for all to see. View photos from Ducky Derby.

Nick is a member of the Darling Ducklings team. He sold 3,613 duck adoptions and raised $15,818 on his own this year and was featured in 10 radio, TV and newspaper interviews. The Darling Ducklings are a team of individuals with intellectual disabilities who are Special Olympics athletes. The 29 members of the team sold 14,638 duck adoptions and raised $64,891.

Stephanie Crabtree, winner of the grand prize Chevy Trax donated by Chicagoland and Northwestern Indiana Chevy Dealers, was announced a few days later. Stephanie did not find out about her winning status until much later in the evening because she was down at the river volunteering to help remove and pack up all the rubber ducks after the race.

If you missed your chance to adopt a duck in Chicago, you can still adopt one for the Southern Illinois Ducky Derby Dash at the DuQuoin State Fair. On Sept. 6, thousands of spectators will watch 5,000 ducks splash into the lake behind the Exhibition Hall on the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds and race towards the finish line. Race Day kicks off at 11 a.m. behind the Expo Hall with entertainment for the entire family - live music, face painting, games and an appearance by Splash, the Duck Mascot.
Law Enforcement, Truck Industry Join for Convoys

 

Truckers from across the U.S. and Canada are set to participate in the World's Largest Truck Convoy for Special Olympics. This is an unforgettable celebration of the trucking industry and law enforcement joining forces for Special Olympics.

 

This year, Illinois has added a second convoy in the northwestern suburbs. The new convoy will begin at 10 a.m. Aug. 29 and end at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates. The original Illinois Truck Convoy, celebrating its 11th year, will begin at 10 a.m. Oct. 10 at Hollywood Casino Ampitheatre in Tinley Park. Registration is from 8-9:30 a.m. at each location. 

 

At each Truck Convoy, law enforcement will escort truckers along the route and back to the starting location for great music, food and fun! Special Olympics Illinois athletes, families and fans are invited to join the celebration.

 

To get involved, contact Katie Herriott at 309-533-3725. For more information, click here.

Also Worth Mentioning  
What's Happening in Your Area?
 
Find out what's happening around you by reading news from the following Areas in the August Area News :
  • Area 3
  • Area 6
  • Area 12
  • Area 15
What's Coming Next?

We hope you'll find an event of interest to attend, cheer, volunteer or sponsor:
Thanks to Our State Partners!
Contact:
Special Olympics Illinois State Headquarters
605 E. Willow St., Normal, IL 61761 
309-888-2551 or 1-800-394-0562