Georgia's ChampionsSeptember 2018's Triumphs On and Off the Field

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Athletes Around GeorgiaOur Athlete of the Month: Danette Horton

A Savannah native, Dane t t e Hort onDane t t e Hort on is an athlete that shows lotsof dedication to making Special Olympics Georgia grow. She is partof SOGA's Global Messenger Program, a program that allowsathletes to attend community functions to speak and raiseawareness of Special Olympics Georgia. She is 56 years old, and shecompetes in several different sports within the Special OlympicsGeorgia City of Savannah. Danette has been competing at thestate games level since 2002! An influence and role model forathletes everywhere, she also holds the athlete role on the Area17 management team.

Congratulations, Dannette, on being this month's Athlete of the Month!

2018 State Masters Bowling Tournament Rolls Into AnotherYear of Success

On August 17 - 19, SOGA once again successfullyheld its annual State Masters Bowling Tournamentdown in Warner Robins.

Almost 1,100 athletes from 56 agencies competed tobring the gold back home to their respective areas.The bowling tournament featured competit ions inboth assisted and unassisted ramp bowling, Unifiedteam bowling and singles (individual) bowling. Amongthe athletes competing in singles bowling was ShelbySnelgrove, who brought the Bronze Medal back home to Special Olympics Georgia Gwinnett

Masters Special Teams. In addition to bowling, athletes could also go to Gold Cup Bowling Alley,where SOGA's Healthy Athletes init iative Special Smiles took place. SOGA screened a new recordof 318 athletes, the highest to date at the State Master's Bowling Tournament. The init iativeoffered free dental screenings, sealants, brushing demonstrations and dental referrals to athletes.

Each athlete walked away with their own goodie bag which had free toothpaste, toothbrushes,floss, and some souvenir pins. SOGA would like to recognize Dr. Dubin for being our Special SmilesClinical Director for this event.

In addition to the rise in athletes and agencies, SOGA also had over 280 coaches, 202 UnifiedPartners and over 430 amazing volunteers! SOGA would like to extend a thank you to ouramazing coaches, Unified Partners, volunteers and of course, our Games Organizing Committee formaking the 2018 Masters Bowling Tournament a complete success! We couldn’t do what we dowithout the efforts of awesome supporters like YOU!

SOGA would also like to recognize and thank the following 2018 State Masters BowlingTournament sponsors for their generous support: Augusta Developmental Specialists, KulynychFamily Foundation II, Inc., Dreamride Foundation, GEICO, Lowe Toyota and Perdue Farms.

Finally, SOGA would like to thank this year's 2018 Presenting Sponsors: The City of Warner Robinsand the Warner Robins Convention & Visitors Bureau.

SOGA Athlete and Unified Partner Show Off Their All-StarSoccer Skills at the 2018 MLS All-Star Week

From July 30 - August 1, Atlanta hosted one of the mostup-and-coming major sporting events the city has everseen, the 2018 Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star Match.With a new stadium and Atlanta United rising in popularity,Atlanta seemed like the perfect home for this occasion.

Atlanta is also home to a very unique program and teamthat competes alongside the city's favorite soccer team.Through MLS Works, Atlanta United and SOGA teamed upin 2017 to create the very first Atlanta United/SOGAUnified Team. This team consists of 14 athletes and threecoaches total. Seven of the team members are SOGAathletes, and the other seven are Unified Partners.

Each year, each MLS Unified team picks one athlete and Unified Partner to represent the team atthe MLS All-Star week. For the team's very first year, Antonio Guzman and Lyndsay Pricerepresented Atlanta. This year, the host team chose Michael Mastrangelo and Julian Butler, withAtlanta's own Coach Mabel Chibo to represent the city, Atlanta United and Special OlympicsGeorgia.

Throughout the week, the group participated in practices with All-Stars from other MLS clubs inthe United States and Canada as they prepared for the Special Olympics MLS Unified SoccerGame: East vs. West on Tuesday, August 31. All the practice paid off, as Julian set Michael upwith an assist leading Michael to score the single and game-tieing goal for the East. The gameended in a 1-1 tie. All-Star athletes also got to participate in team building activit ies with theirfellow teammates, attend and watch an open practice for the MLS All-Stars and Juventus FC, andattend the MLS All-Star Game on August 1 to cheer on their favorite players. T o see more o fT o see more o fMichae l and Ju lian ' s A ll-St ar w eek and t he ir spe c ial fe at ure on CNN, c lick he re .Michae l and Ju lian ' s A ll-St ar w eek and t he ir spe c ial fe at ure on CNN, c lick he re .

Coach Chibo has coached the team for the past two years, with Julian as an assistant coach in2017. This year is the first year both Michael and Julian have competed as players with the team.The Atlanta United/SOGA Unified Team will end their season on October 21 with a final matchagainst the Chicago Fire/SOIL Unified Team prior to the Atlanta United vs. Chicago Fire game at3:00 pm. If you are int e re st ed in at t end ing t he game , c lick he re t o purchaseIf you are int e re st ed in at t end ing t he game , c lick he re t o purchaset icke t s.t icke t s.

The SOGA CommunityOur Volunteer of the Month: Marie Stamps

Marie St ampsMarie St amps is the local coordinator of Albany Parks and Recreation.Her program has grown tremendously over the years and she trulycares about each one of the athletes that joins her program. Mariehelps coordinate the Albany Strikers Classic and is responsible for all thesuccessful years the invitational has had. Marie brings athletes to eachand every State Games.

Congrats, Marie, on being this month's Volunteer of the Month!

Our Sponsor of the Month: Winter CompaniesState Premier Sponsor

Tackling the industry’s most challenging projects withexpertise and agility, T he W int e r Companie sT he W int e r Companie s hasbeen building good experiences and relationships withits valued clients across the Southeast for more than55 years. Whether constructing new buildings,updating older ones, renovating and preservinghistoric sites, remediating environmental issues, or cleaning up hazardous materials, WinterConstruction and Winter Environmental have consistently ranked in the ENR Top 400 Contractorsin the United States. The Winter Companies continues to be a strategic partner and trusted ally,delivering great experiences, outstanding results, and building the foundation for successtomorrow. Winter's most important legacies are more than the places in which their communitygoverns, resides, works, visits, and plays; the most important honor is building the relationshipswith their clients, people, and partners.T he W int e r Companie sT he W int e r Companie s is passionate about supporting Special Olympics Georgia and raising themuch-needed funds to support SOGA programs. In 2004, Winter inaugurated its first annual golftournament with SOGA as the beneficiary. To date, The Winter Companies has raised almost$646,000 for Special Olympics Georgia athletes, and hundreds of Winter employees and theirfamilies have volunteered and provided hands-on assistance at Team Basketball and Bowling duringthe State Indoor Winter Games and Volleyball during the State Summer Games.

“Our first job is to be good people. Our relationship with Special Olympics Georgia is important tous. We made an intentional choice to choose one charity and go deep with them. We wantedSOGA to know that year after year we would be there for them − that they can count on us. Asa company, we work hard to uphold that ideal in all we do,” states Brent Reid, President andCEO.

We are honored to have T he W int e r Companie sT he W int e r Companie s as amember of the Special Olympics Georgia family, and it is arelationship that we definitely value and hold in highregard. Thank you, Winter Companies, for your continuedbelief in and dedication to the 26,460 Special OlympicsGeorgia athletes!

2018 Fall Games and Horse Show T-Shirts Are Now Available

The 2018 State Fall Games and State Horse Show t-shirtsare here and available for order.

To pre-order your 2018 Fall Games and Horse Show t-shirts,compete the following linked order forms and email or faxthe form to Kat e Hamilt onKat e Hamilt on .

Fall Games T -sh irt o rde r fo rmFall Games T -sh irt o rde r fo rmHorse Show T -sh irt o rde r fo rmHorse Show T -sh irt o rde r fo rm

Order forms and payments are due by October 1, 2018.SOGA no longer accepts cash payment, but accepts card orcheck. Checks can be mailed to 6046 Financial Drive, Norcross, GA 30071. SOGA is not able tomail shirts. All pre-ordered shirts can be picked up at housing check-in on Friday, October 19.

Duck Pluck 2018: A Quacktastic Time!

10,008 rubber ducks took a swim in the Post Chastain pool onAugust 10 for a chance to get plucked for prizes! This year’s DuckPluck was a huge success thanks to everyone who donated andadopted a duck, or two, or three, or more. Thank you to PostChastain for hosting the event, and our sponsors and AnnandaleVillage and Henry County athletes for joining us – we all had aQUACKTASTIC time! Everyone enjoyed lunch and a fun game ofcornhole before the big pluck. Special Olympics Georgia athleteDiane Melin was our Duck Ambassador, and Davi from Q100 was the official Duck Plucker. As Davijumped in and swam around the pool, the anticipation of the crowd grew as we were all leftwondering "which ducks will she pluck?"

The 13th Annual Duck Pluck Winners are: Suzanne P. – Two Night Stay at the Mandarin Oriental,Atlanta; Tracy J. – Two Round Trip Tickets on Spirit Airlines; MaryKay H. – Two Night Stay at TheKing and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, St. Simon's Island; Karen Y – Dell Laptop Computer; Mary C.– $400 MasterCard Gift Card; Debbie D. – $250 Macy's Gift Card; and Wayne H. – $250 WaffleHouse Gift Card.

A huge thank you to our 2018 sponsors: Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academies, Pep Boys, Rooms ToGo Foundation, Whitaker Oil Company, Winter Companies, Aflac, Allied World, Complete TruckBodies, Inc., GEICO, Rhino Shield by Georgia Coatings, Risk Placement Services, Accessory AeroGroup, LLC., Duck Donuts - Buckhead, Highwoods Properties, Jimmy Johns, Craig Automotive,North Georgia Replacement Windows, and Dobbins Thrift Shoppe. Also, thank you to PostChastain and Q100.

Silent Auction Items Needed

SOGA has several upcoming silent auctions that are in need ofitems. If you personally have or know someone/a business whomight be willing to donate any of the following, please contactSusan Sko ln ickSusan Sko ln ick or 770-414-9390 ext. 1111: vacation/time-sharehome, resort/hotel stay, sports memorabilia, sporting eventtickets, concert tickets, airline tickets/vouchers, golf foursome,restaurant gift card, or any other item, type of service, orrecreational activity that you think would be a great addition to asilent auction. Each silent auction item donation helps us to raisemoney and ensure that all SOGA programs are free to our athletesand their families.

Leave Your Legacy

The values that you live by will do as much, if notmore, to shape the lives of those who come afteryou. How can you ensure that the principles thatmatter most to you will be upheld after you’regone?

One of the best ways is to make a gift throughyour will or estate plan to the organizations youfeel share your values and which strive to createthe world you’d like your children andgrandchildren to inherit. Because of your generous past support – in time and money -- we knowthat Special Olympics Georgia is one of those organizations. Besides supporting our missionthrough the years to come, you’ll be leaving your family a legacy that may well become a precioustradition.

Want to learn how to include Special Olympics Georgia in any of your estate plans? Request ourRequest ourcompliment ary compliment ary P lann ing Y our LegacyP lann ing Y our Legacy guide which takes you step by step through theprocess of creating your legacy plan, or contact our planned giving staff at 866-690-3951 orp lannedg iving@spec ialo lympics.o rgp lannedg iving@spec ialo lympics.o rg .

Help Athletes While You Work

Did you know that during your work hours, you can still help out SpecialOlympics Georgia? Through workplace giving campaigns, you can helpathletes like CJ (pictured) and so many others. Here are a few waysyou can make an impact through your workplace giving program:

Mat ch ing Gift sMat ch ing Gift s. Many employers sponsor matching gift programs andwill match any charitable contributions or volunteer hours made by theiremployees, and some companies even match gifts made by retireesand/or spouses. Find out if your company will match your donation toSpecial Olympics with our cust om search eng ineour cust om search eng ine or by visit ing yourpersonnel office. If your company does match gifts, please provideSOGA with the necessary paperwork. What a great way to double ortriple your financial support of the athletes with no additional cost toyou!

Communit y Healt h Charit ie sCommunit y Healt h Charit ie s. SOGA is a member of Community Health Charit ies, the largestworkplace giving collaborative with a focus on health issues. If Community Health Charit ies is a partof your workplace giving program, you can direct donations to SOGA.

Combined Fede ral CampaignCombined Fede ral Campaign . Employees in the federal, civilian, postal or military workforce candesignate SOGA for pledge contributions during the campaign season. Our designated code is91290.

Fundraising Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are needed to help identify and/or approachpotential corporate sponsors and individual donors forState Games and fundraising events. This is anextremely important component to the success ofthese events. By generating new ideas and discoveringnew opportunities that can help us meet or exceed our

revenue goals, you will make a vital contribution toSOGA. For more information, contact Susan Sko ln ickSusan Sko ln ickat (770) 414-9390 ext. 1111.

Volunteer Opportunities

Interested in joining the SOGA community? Click below to see all the great ways you can giveyour time to SOGA events, competit ions and athletes, or contact Danie lle HoganDanie lle Hogan or MirandaMirandaMooreMoore :

State Fall Games - From October 19 - 21, support athletes as they come together inGainesville to compete in bocce, cycling, golf and softball. For more information, contactMiranda Moore.State Horse Show - From October 19 - 21, support athletes competing in our equestrianevents at Chickopee Woods Agricultural Center in Gainesville. For more information, contactDanielle Hogan.Special Olympics Colleges - College students and higher education professionals areinvited to join a movement to bring awareness and volunteerism for SOGA to collegecampuses across Georgia. To apply or learn more about SO Colleges, please click here.Coaching Opportunities - Whether you are looking to become a coach with SOGA or just getre-certified, SOGA has opportunities for you. Click here to find out about what you need tobe a coach or to learn about the certification process. Coaches are required to be re-certified in any sport every three years. For more information, contact Kelli Britt at (770) 414-9390 ext. 1122. To be re-certified in a specific area, click one or more of the following links:Unified SportsVolunteer & Unified Partner Profile FormSpecial Olympics AthletesOnline Coaches' ResourcesCoaches Code of ConductConcussion in SportsCoach's Concussion TrainingAutism Spectrum DisorderProtective Behaviors QuizBackground ScreeningsClick here to learn more about our required protective behaviors training.Click here to learn about SOGA's volunteer screening policy.Click here to learn SOGA's policies for Coaching Certification.

SOGA Events

Marlow's Tavern Golf C lassicMarlow's Tavern Golf C lassicOct obe r 15 , 2018Oct obe r 15 , 2018

Join us at TPC Sugarloaf for the 20th

Annual Marlow’s Tavern Golf Classic benefit ingSOGA. Since 1999, this annual golf tournamentand Marlow’s Tavern openings have raised over$900,000 for our athletes, and this year'stournament goal is to take it over the $1Million mark! The fun-filled day will include aputting contest, shotgun start, hole contests,and an awards ceremony, reception, and silentauction.

Click he re fo r A vailab le Sponsorsh ips.Click he re fo r A vailab le Sponsorsh ips.Click he re fo r t he Reg ist rat ion Form. Click he re fo r t he Reg ist rat ion Form.

If you can’t participate in the tournament butwould like to make a donation, please makeyour check payable to Special OlympicsGeorgia, write “Marlow’s” on the memo line,and mail to Susan Skolnick, Special OlympicsGeorgia, 6046 Financial Drive, Norcross,GA 30071.For more information, contact SusanSusanSko ln ickSko ln ick or 770-414-9390 ext. 1111.

Thank you Marlow’s Tavern and past andcurrent sponsors for your generous supportover the years!

Bob Busse Golf C lassicBob Busse Golf C lassicOct obe r 30 , 2018Oct obe r 30 , 2018

Join us at Ansley Golf Club at SettindownCreek, and enjoy a wonderful day of golfing,networking, prizes, food, and a silent auction insupport of Special Olympics Georgia’s 26,460athletes. The event will benefit the year-roundtraining and competit ion of its incredible SpecialOlympics Georgia athletes. Sponsorships,foursomes & individuals, and volunteeropportunities are available!

Please contact A lly Jo rdanA lly Jo rdan at (770) 414-9390ext. 1118 to sign up your team or become asponsor.

The 23rd Annual Bob Busse Golf Tournament isproudly presented by Park ‘N Fly.

Polar PlungePolar PlungeFebruary 23 , 2019February 23 , 2019

Over the EdgeOver the EdgeMay 11 , 2019May 11 , 2019

Mark your calendars and save the date torappel 22 stories for SOGA on May 11th! Everyday, SOGA athletes face fears and overcome

Do you have what it takes to make the pungeand be freezin' for a reason?

If so, mark February 23, 2019 off on yourcalendar and brave the jump into the icywaters in the middle of winter for SpecialOlympics Georgia athletes! Acworth Beach willonce again be the backdrop for a day of chillyfun including live music, food and prizes.Participants (teams and individuals) who collectpledges from friends and family totaling at least$50 secure their plunging spot.

For more information or to register, pleasecontact Ph ilip Brale yPh ilip Brale y at (770) 414-9390 ext.1105. We hope to see you on the beach inFebruary!

obstacles on and off the field. Well now, it ’syour turn! We can’t wait for you to join us andgo down the Overlook lll building in Vinings themost thrilling way we know how.

For more information or to register, pleasecontact A lly Jo rdanA lly Jo rdan at (770) 414-9390 ext.1118.

SOGA PromotionsThere are currently several great ways to earn free money for SOGA athletes. If you havequestions on any of these promotions, please contact Susan Sko ln ickSusan Sko ln ick at (770) 414-9390 ext.1111.

Did you know that every time you shop atAmazon you can support SOGA athletes?Thanks to the AmazonSmileA mazonSmile program, 0.5%of the price of your eligible purchases will bedonated to SOGA. Instead of going toAmazon's main home page, go toAmazonSmileAmazonSmile . AmazonSmile is the sameAmazon that you know - same products, sameprices, same service. If you click the link above,Special Olympics Georgia automatically will beselected as your charity. If it isn't, select itfrom the list. Now, every time you make apurchase from Amazon throughsmile .amazon.comsmile .amazon.com you'll be supportingSOGA athletes!

Kroger Community Rewards makes supportingSOGA super easy... all you have to do is shopat Kroger and swipe your Plus Card! Sign upwith your 12 digit Kroger Plus Card numberat w w w .kroge r.com/communit yrew ardsw w w .kroge r.com/communit yrew ards and in the Community Rewards section, selectSpecial Olympics Georgia (code SH080) as theorganization you wish to support. Once you'reenrolled, you'll earn rewards for SOGA everytime you shop with your Plus Card, whileearning rewards/fuel points for yourself. Enro llEnro llnow fo r t he Kroge r Communit ynow fo r t he Kroge r Communit yRew ards ProgramRew ards Program . If your Kroger Plus Card isnot registered, you will need to create anaccount and register.

DialAme ricaDialAme rica will donate 10% of your paid

magazine subscription to SOGA. To subscribeto a magazine, call (877) 872-2362 between8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. or c lick he rec lick he re .

Thinking of selling or trading in that old car,boat or RV? Donate it instead! SOGA haspartnered with CARS to turn your old vehicle,whether it 's running or not, into much neededfunds for our programs. CARS accepts mostcars, trucks, trailers, boats, RV's, motorcycles,off road vehicles, heaving equipment, andmost other motorized vehicles. CARS will makeall the arrangements at no cost to you. Theyhandle the tit le transfer requirements and willprovide you with a writtenacknowledgement of your donation and taxdeduction information. Click he re fo r moreClick he re fo r moreinfo rmat ion o r t o donat e your veh ic le .in fo rmat ion o r t o donat e your veh ic le . Ahelpful representative will contact you within24 hours to schedule a pickup, or call CARSseven days a week at 1-844-404-SOGA (7642)to speak with a representative.

KidCents is a program created by the Rite AidFoundation that allows Rite Aid customers toround up their purchases to the nearest dollarand donate their change to SOGA athletes.Make your change be the change for SOGAathletes! Click he re fo r more in fo rmat ionClick he re fo r more in fo rmat ionor t o sign up and st art donat ing youro r t o sign up and st art donat ing yourchange t oday!change t oday!

Stay ConnectedForward to a Friend

We're fortunate enough to have you as part of theSpecial Olympics Georgia family. Our goal is to reachas many potential sponsors, volunteers, andathletes as possible; so, please help us grow thefamily even more. Please forward this e-newsletterto your friends and family so they can sign upsign up toalso receive the monthly e-newsletter!

Tell Us Your Story

We want to tell your stories! Email Meghan Dave sMeghan Dave s with a story abouta Special Olympics event or person who has brought out the championin you!

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