2015
Special Olympics
Illinois
Opportunities
Denise Samulis
Senior Director of Corporate Development & Partnerships
C: 331.444.8186 E: dsamulis@soill.org
Illinois
Mission
To provide year-round sports training and athletic
competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for
children and adults with intellectual disabilities,
giving them continuing opportunities to develop
physical fitness, demonstrate courage,
experience joy and participate in a sharing of
gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other
Special Olympics athletes and the community.
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About Us
Special Olympics is a global organization that unleashes
the human spirit through the transformative power and joy
of sport, every day around the world. Through programming
in sports, health, education and community building.
Special Olympics is changing the lives of people with
intellectual disabilities solving the global injustice, isolation,
intolerance and inactivity they face.
Special Olympics Illinois provides opportunities for more
21,955 traditional and 20,866 Young Athletes throughout
the state. With the support of 40,000 volunteers and
coaches.
History & Structure
Founder – Eunice Kennedy Shriver
First Games – 1968 at Soldier Field in Chicago
Local – 18 areas in Illinois, each overseen by an Area Director
State – Special Olympics Illinois Normal, IL
National – Special Olympics North America, North Carolina, USA
International – Special Olympics Inc. Washington, D.C., USA
3 / Special Olympics Illinois
Organizational Facts
• Special Olympics is a Global Movement that
happens at the grassroots level.
• More than 4 million athletes participate in more
than 170 countries and in all 50 states.
• Special Olympics USA Games were held June 1421, 2014 in New Jersey, with 53 traditional athletes
and 6 unified partners representing Illinois, in
attendance.
• Special Olympics World Games with be held in Los
Angeles, CA July 25- August 2.
5 / Special Olympics Illinois
Competition Choices
Special Olympics Illinois offers athletes a variety of ways
they can compete in the program
as individuals,
on teams
with their
nondisabled peers.
Athletes must train for 8 weeks before competition.
9 / Special Olympics Illinois
Motor Activities Training
comprehensive
motor activity
The Motor
Activities
Training
Program
(MATP)
provides
Emphasizing
training and
participation
rather than
competition.
recreation
training for
people with
severe
disabilities,
MATP is part of Special Olympics’ commitment to offer sports training to athletes of
all ability levels.
10 / Special Olympics Illinois
Individual sports Skills
Individual Sports Skills allow athletes to develop sports skills in a competitive format. It
is designed to serve as a stepping stone for athletes to become members of a team as
they master skills and team concepts.
Individual
Sports
Skills
offered:
8
•
Basketball
• Soccer
• Golf
• Softball
• Tennis
• Volleyball
• Floor
Hockey
Team Competitions
Athletes participating in Team Competitions learn the essential skills of a
particular team sport, appropriate social behavior and functional knowledge
of the rules, enabling them to successfully participate in regulation or
modified games.
Basketball
Floor
Hockey
Volleyball
Team
Sports
include:
Softball
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Soccer
Individual sports Competition
Athletes competing in Individual Sports learn fundamental
skills and compete with others in non-team events.
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Alpine Skiing
Aquatics
(Swimming)
Athletics
(Track &
Field)
Bocce
Bowling
CrossCountry
Skiing
Equestrian
Figure
Skating
Golf
Gymnastics
Powerlifting
Snowshoeing
Speed
Skating
Tennis
Flag Football
Unified Sports
Unified Sports combine Special Olympics and non-Special Olympics athletes of
similar age and ability to compete against other Unified Sports teams.
This program is important because it expands opportunities for athletes
seeking new challenges and increases integration in the community.
Illinois offers Unified Sports competition in four sports at the State level:
Bocce
Golf
Tennis
Volleyball
Soccer
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Young Athletes
Young Athletes Program is a sports play program for children
2-7 years of age with and without intellectual disabilities.
Young Athletes Program addresses two levels of play:
• Level 1: Physical activities
focused on developing
fundamental motor tracking
and eye-hand coordination.
12 / Special Olympics Illinois
• Level 2: Application of the
physical activities through
sports skills activities and
developing skills consistent
with Special Olympics
sports play.
Healthy athletes
The Healthy Athletes Initiative is dedicated to providing
health services and education to Special Olympics
athletes. Through free health screenings, training for
healthcare professionals, and evaluation of the health
status of people with intellectual disabilities. The programs
Illinois Offers are:
Opening
Eyes
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Fun
Fitness
Healthy
Hearing
MedFest
Special
Smiles
Athlete Leadership
• Coach
• Officiate
• Volunteer
• Area and
State
committees
• Board of
Directors
• Games
Evaluation
Teams
• Athlete
Input Council
• Contribute
to
newsletters/
website
• Global
Messenger
Training
Illinois offers
the following
ALPs roles:
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Athlete Leadership
Programs (ALPs)
allow athletes to
participate in roles
previously
considered “nontraditional.”
• Fundraising
Funding
Special Olympics is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501c3 0rganization.
Special Olympics Illinois does not charge athletes to participate in its
program.
Funds are
raised
through:
corporate partnerships
foundation grants
individual gifts and estate gifts
service clubs
special events
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Athletes
Competing allows athletes to develop sports skills, build self-esteem,
physical fitness and social time with other athletes.
A study conducted by Yale University confirmed that athletes
participating in Special Olympics develop better social skills than their
non-participating peers, thus enabling them to more fully function in
their homes, schools, jobs and communities.
Special Olympics trains for life.
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Families
Special
Olympics
unites families
in supporting
their athletes
on local, state,
national and
international
levels.
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• Parents, grandparents, and
siblings see their family
members develop sports
skills like any other athlete,
then complete and interact
with other athletes, officials,
volunteers and coaches.
Volunteers
Special Olympics unites
families in supporting their
athletes on local, state and
international levels.
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Parents, grandparents, and
siblings see their family
members develop sports
skills like any other athlete,
then complete and interact
with other athletes, officials,
volunteers and coaches.
Sponsors
People make an investment in their community through Special Olympics,
whether through sponsoring an event or competition, a cause-related marketing
campaign or private donation.
According to a study done by Worth magazine, Special Olympics is one of
the best human services charities in the country.
“Special Olympics has moved people with disabilities from the sidelines to
the playing field.”
Supporting Special Olympics can also help members or employees feel they are
contributing to the community by rallying behind a common goal and take pride
in their organization.
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End the Word
Spread the Word to End the Word is a national awareness
day to raise the consciousness of society about the
dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word “retard(ed)”
and encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word.
• On the first Wednesday of March each year, youth across
the country rally their schools and communities to pledge
their support at www.r-word.org.
• Spearheaded by college students, Soeren Palumbo
(Notre Dame 2011) and Tim Shriver (Yale 2011), and led by
youth and Special Olympics athletes across the country.
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Our Reach in Illinois
21,955 athletes (children and adults) with intellectual disabilities
20,886 Young Athletes ages 2-7 with and without intellectual disabilities
40,000 volunteers and coaches
180 competitions each year
19 Olympic-type sports
Programs in 18 Areas, each coordinated by an Area Director and a volunteer committee
Dynamic sports and corporate partnerships
Sports
Bowling
Volleyball
Snowshoeing
Basketball
Athletics
Flag
Football
Aquatics
Ice Skating
Skiing
Golf
Power
Lifting
Gymnastics
6 / Special Olympics Illinois
Why Special Olympics?
We get Results
Coca-Cola
Sold 14.4 million
commemorative
Special Olympics
Coke cans in just 3
weeks (projected 10
week program)
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GMC Truck
Dealers
Recorded a 40%
increase in sales
during July Special
Olympics sponsorship
period.
Dollar-RentA-Car Travel
Posted a 50%
increase in travel
agency business
during a six week
Special Olympics
promotion
Why Special Olympics?
Consumers recognize affiliation
Consumers purchase intent is much higher for companies that
affiliate with Special Olympics vs. other major sports properties
56% Special
Olympics
38% The Olympic Games
35% The World Cup
23%The Super Bowl
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Why Special Olympics?
Lucrative Demographics
Special Olympics Illinois has 100,000
donors and over 45,000 volunteers
Average
Spectator
Facts:
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•
•
•
•
46 years old
62% female
60% college graduates
Average house hold
income $65,000
Why Special Olympics?
Americans Trust Special Olympics
73% of Americans rated Special Olympics
as the most honest charity in the United
States
In a poll conducted by The Chronicle of
Philanthropy, Special Olympics was rated
by the public as the most credible cause in
America.
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Why Special Olympics?
Americans Know Special Olympics
95% Name recognition in the United States
96% felt people with intellectual disabilities could benefit
from Special Olympics.
83% felt Special Olympics enabled people with intellectual
disabilities to interact with the general public. (Gallop Poll)
Special Olympics touches the lives of one in every six families
in America (Yale University Study)
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About
Law Enforcement Torch Run
The Law Enforcement Torch Run® is the single largest year-round fundraising event
benefiting Special Olympics Illinois. The annual intrastate relay and its various fundraising
projects have two goals: to raise money and to gain awareness for the athletes who
participate in Special Olympics Illinois. The Law Enforcement Torch Run® has raised nearly
$28 million over 27 years while increasing awareness of Special Olympics Illinois athletes
and their accomplishments.
Approximately 3,000 officers representing every branch of law enforcement across the
state from local police officers to FBI agents will carry the Flame of Hope nearly 1,500 miles,
running through thousands of Illinois communities via 23 different legs (routes) to its final
destination – the Opening Ceremonies of the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games in
June in Normal.
Special Olympics is a global organization that unleashes the human spirit through the
transformative power and joy of sport, every day around the world. Through programming in
sports, health, education and community building, Special Olympics is changing the lives of
people with intellectual disabilities solving the global injustice, isolation, intolerance and
inactivity they face. Special Olympics Illinois provides opportunities for more than 21,000
athletes, 40,000 volunteers and thousands more people statewide.
2015 Events
First Look for Charity – February 13, 2015
• For the fourth year in a row, Special Olympics Illinois is delighted to
participate as one of 18 benefitting charities in the Chicago Auto Show’s
First Look for Charity. This annual black-tie affair provides attendees with
a “first look” at the nation’s largest auto show before it opens to the public.
SOILL ticket purchasers are invited to attend a private reception at
McCormick Place including appetizers, drinks and complimentary coat
check. www.specialolympicsfirstlook.org
Polar Plunge February- March 2015
• Support Special Olympics athletes by taking a flying leap – a leap into the
frigid waters of an Illinois lake. In 2012, there were 20 locations across the
state. Participants raise donations from friends, family and co-workers in
exchange for jumping into the icy waters in the middle of winter. All
proceeds collected by plungers benefit Special Olympics Illinois athletes.
In 2012, more than $1.5 million was raised by more than 6,290
plungers. In 14 years, $7.5 million has been raised by more than 28,300
plungers!
2015 Events
Dunkin' Donuts Cop on Top Fundraiser –
May 2015
• Police officers will once again be staking out the rooftops of 174 Dunkin' Donuts across
the state to heighten awareness and raise donations for the Law Enforcement Torch
Run benefiting Special Olympics Illinois.
Torch Run “Spare Change for Real Change” Collection Day – week
of July 14, 2015
• Police officers throughout the state will grab collection buckets and hit street corners,
stores, and other areas of high traffic to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois. 2015
marks the 47th anniversary of the beginning of Special Olympics, celebrating the first
games held at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Nelarusky July 29, 2015
Nelarusky is official event that kicks off the Lolla Palooza music fest,
held in Grant Park. The intimacy of the venue gives sponsors the
chance to reach out to a captive, engaged audience of 21- 44 year old
music lovers. The lineup is a closely guarded secret, and will reflect
some of the hottest performers on the music scene. Tickets will sell out.
2015 Events
Windy City Rubber Ducky Deby – August 6, 2015
For the 10th straight year, SOILL will host the annual Duck Derby on August 6, 2015. The Duck
Derby has become a signature event for Special Olympics Illinois! Since 2006, the Duck Derby
has raised well over $1 million for the athletes of SOILL! Race day kicks off at Michigan Avenue
(near the Wrigley Building and Pioneer Court) with entertainment for the entire family, media
personalities, professional athletes and sports mascots interacting with the race enthusiasts as
they adopt ducks to win spectacular prizes such as a new car or a vacation package.
Run Shop‘n Save T-Shirt Days – August 2015
• Local law enforcement will be selling Torch Run T-shirts and other
merchandise at all 16 Illinois Shop ‘n Save locations as part of this annual
promotion. Be sure to stop by your nearest Shop ‘n Save and support the
Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois.
Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Raffle – Drawing Held October 2015
• Since 1998, the Kane County Chiefs of Police Association has sponsored a HarleyDavidson Raffle to benefit the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois.
Nearly $950,000 has been raised through this raffle since its inception. You can
purchase your $10 ticket from participating local law enforcement or by calling the SOILL
State Headquarters at 1-800-394-0562. The six finalists will be drawn on October 18.
2015 Events
Torch Run Plane Pull at O’Hare International Airport – September 2015
•The Plane Pull is an extreme team sport to play tug-of-war with a UPS Airbus A300 aircraft weighing
more than 198,000 pounds. That’s right — the plane weighs more than 99 tons! Why pull a plane?
Sure, it sounds crazy, but it’s a fun, competitive and great team-building experience like no other! Plus,
it raises both funds and awareness for Special Olympics Illinois. Who can participate? Teams can
include up to 20 people. Create a team to build camaraderie and test your muscle! Recruit your coworkers, friends from the gym, church group, classmates, teammates, friends, family...anyone can do
it!
Coaster Challenge – September 27, 2015
WE have the perfect way for you to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois and show the
world you are a true RAGING BULL. Simply register, fundraise and ride the distance of a
5K, 10K or a Marathon.
World’s Largest Truck Convoy – October 2015
• Join America’s compassionate army of truck drivers as the nation’s law enforcement
community escorts the World’s Largest Truck Convoy® fundraising event across the
nation to raise money or Special Olympics athletes and change attitudes about people
with intellectual disabilities. The Illinois Convoy will begin and conclude at the First
Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park.
Inspire Greatness Gala – October TBD
The Inspire Greatness Gala is a premier Chicago charity gala event. This spectacular
black-tie event celebrates the mission of Special Olympics and the founding of the Special
Olympics movement in Chicago 45 years ago. The evening includes cocktails, dinner,
signature high-end sports-themed Live/Silent auctions, dancing and celebrity
appearances. http://www.inspiregreatnessgala.com
Opportunities for involvement
Traffic Driving
Promotions
Co-Branded
Products
Sampling &
Couponing
Cause Marketing
Onsite Hospitality
Onsite
Volunteers
Team Building
Experiential
Opportunity
Mobile & Web
Programs
Premium ItemGive Away
Event Photos
Torch Run
Plane Pull
Polar Plunge
Athletic Competitions
Area Map
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State Competitions
DISTRICT CROSS-COUNTRY &
SNOWSHOE TOURNAMENTS:
Various Sites December- January
DISTRICT SENIOR MALE
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS:
Various Sites January- February
WINTER GAMES: Galena, Ill. &
Dubuque, Iowa February 2-5
Alpine Skiing, Cross Country
Skiing, Figure Skating, Speed
Skating, Snowshoeing
STATE BASKETBALL
TOURNAMENT: Illinois State
University and Illinois Wesleyan
University, Bloomington-Normal
March 13-15
DISTRICT AQUATICS MEETS:
Various sites March-April
DISTRICT GYMNASTICS MEETS:
Various sites March-April
SUMMER GAMES: Illinois State
University, Normal June 12-14
Aquatics, Athletics, Bocce,
Gymnastics, Power lifting, Soccer
and Unified Bocce
DISTRICT SOFTBALL
TOURNAMENTS: Various Sites
July- August
STATE TENNIS TOURNAMENT:
Lincolnway North High School,
Frankfort (Tentative) Tennis and
Unified Tennis Aug. 15-16
OUTDOOR SPORTS FESTIVAL:
Decatur Area Golf, Unified Golf
and Softball September 12-13
SECTIONAL BOWLING
TOURNAMENTS: Various Sites
October- November
FALL GAMES: Rockford
Area(Tentative) Equestrian,
Volleyball and Unified Volleyball
October 24-25
STATE FLOOR HOCKEY
TOURNAMENT: Chicago Area
November 14th
STATE BOWLING
TOURNAMENT: Landmark Lanes,
Peoria December 5
Present & Past Partners
Denise Samulis Sr. Director, Corporate Development & Partnerships
444.8186
P: 331.