Our newest Celebrity Ambassador, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Alex Singleton, was recently featured in a profile piece by Meaghan MacDonald-Pool of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
Eagles linebacker Alex Singleton, signing autographs for Special Olympics Pennsylvania athletes at training camp.
Among the many highlights of the piece, Singleton’s relationship with his sister Ashley — who is a Special Olympics athlete — is highlighted as well as his eagerness to get involved with the Philadelphia program.
“No matter how much or how great any of us could be in sports, she is always going to be better and she’s the big athlete in our family. We’re always striving to match her. Even as other people want to say that I am the big athlete and all that stuff, we’re like ‘No, we are just trying to catch up to Ashley.’”
Note: The following is from the Special Olympics Fall Panel Evaluation Report provided by Allison R. Casola, PhD, MPH, CHES – Department of Family and Community Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University.
On October 17, 2019, Dr. Mary Stephens organized a student event at Thomas Jefferson University to promote involvement and volunteer opportunities with Special Olympics Pennsylvania. During the event conversations surrounding the multitude of volunteer opportunities available with Special Olympics, the importance of Special Olympics for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) both during and outside of competitions, and the sense of community engagement Special Olympics can provide for individuals with IDD and their families ensued.
Philadelphia athlete leader John Mitchell speaks on the panel at Jefferson University.
The program was part of the National Curriculum Initiative in Developmental Medicine (NCIDM) efforts. John Mitchell, and athlete leader from Philadelphia, and SOPA’s Director of Programming Projects at spoke to roughly 60 Jefferson students, medical residents, faculty, and community members as part of the educational event.
Also discussed were barriers that persons with IDD face when it comes to seeking medical care, and possible strategies to maximize healthcare and provider-related experiences for persons with IDD and their families.
The program was part of the National Curriculum Initiative in Developmental Medicine (NCIDM) efforts. John Mitchell, and athlete leader from Philadelphia, and SOPA’s Director of Programming Projects at spoke to roughly 60 Jefferson students, medical residents, faculty, and community members as part of the educational event.
York County’s own Loretta Claiborne — Special Olympics Chief Inspiration Officer — was recently featured on a collaborative podcast between Bank of America and The New York Times.
Claiborne appeared on the podcast, titled “That Made All The Difference,” with Special Olympics CEO Mary Davis.
On Thursday, August 22, Special Olympics athletes from various counties met at the Valley Forge Hotel to welcome the Dream Riders as they journeyed from Florida to Connecticut to raise money for Special Olympics.
The Dream Ride is one of the largest charity motorcycle rides in Connecticut! The Dream Ride is a police-escorted motorcycle rally and ride featuring a 40-mile cruise through the Connecticut countryside. Thousands of motorcycles from the United States and Canada converge in Farmington, Connecticut all to ride to benefit The Hometown Foundation, Inc. and Special Olympics.
Upon welcoming the Dream Riders, an ice-cream reception was held indoors where Special Olympics athletes who were sponsored by the Riders each received a medal and t-shirt. In addition, Dream Ride CEO Michael Bozzuto gifted two K-9 service dogs to local police departments (Radnor PD & Upper Merion PD) and requested that the dogs be named after a Special Olympics PA athlete who passed away suddenly in 2018 — John C. Strunk. To close the ceremony, Bozzuto presented Special Olympics PA with an incredibly generous check for $10,000!
On Thursday morning, Special Olympics Pennsylvania athletes Zachary Williams and Haleigh Sommers spoke to a crowd at the grand opening of a Sheetz store in Brownsville, Pa. They did a fantastic job speaking to the crowd and were joined by 102.5 WDVE personality Chad Tyson to accept a generous $2,500 donation to Special Olympics Pennsylvania!
Special Olympics Pennsylvania 