ATTACHMENT E
AREA 23
PRINCE WILLIAM SPECIAL OLYMPICS
GROWTH PLAN FOR 2013/2014
Area 23, Prince William County, has set goals for growth in order to:
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Recruit athletes encompassing all ages and abilities, especially Young Athletes
Recruit Class A volunteers for specific tasks and sports programs, and
Increase participation of athletes with approved applications.
An internet web site (www.pwsova.org) is used to facilitate dissemination of information
for all Area 23’s training programs and events. We continue to use a RSS feed
( http://www.pwsova.org/Blogs/) for those participants who wish to receive information
electronically and for timely notifications such as cancellations.
This year, we are planning to use Facebook to advance communication with athletes and
their families as well as increased awareness of interested volunteers of our opportunities to
serve. One of our athletes developed a Facebook page, Greater Prince William – Special
Olympics Virginia, which has been used primarily to display events in pictures. We currently
have 39 Likes without publicity! Although we are using Facebook to publicize events, we will
be promoting more events including fundraisers.
Last year we were able to get an audience with schools during their Special Education
Parents Night. We also presented at the staff meeting for occupational, physical, and speech
therapists. We concluded that this was a more effective way of reaching families, at least at the
elementary school level and staff who interact with these students on a regular basis. Flyers and
information were disseminated to each person present at these meetings. However, one of our
strategies for this year is to meet with the Special Education Director for Prince William County,
Manassas City and Manassas Park to promote the R Word campaign and the Young Athlete
program in addition to recruitment of athletes to our program.
Although we were unable to pursue audiences with the county’s middle and high schools
open houses or back to school night, we are looking to use our Global Messenger(s) to promote
Special Olympics at this level. We will still post in various public areas (libraries, grocery stores,
churches, county building, etc.). In addition, the council currently advertises in the local Park
Authority Leisure Magazine, Fall edition to promulgate information.
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The council members also sponsors/participates in the following:
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A booth and advertisement at the ARC of Greater PW Circle of Support
Conference to be held in November 2013
A booth at the Spring 2013 PWCS Transition Fair
Advertisement and participation in Recruitment, Outreach & Disaster Services
Volunteer activities
Presentations for the Lions Clubs
Through community service clubs in Prince William County high schools and some
private schools, Area 23 will solicit youth and family participation as volunteers in various
programs and upcoming events. In addition to the Prince William County School television
programming, Area 23 also hopes to utilize the local programming channels on COMCAST and
other public service television programming as well as local newspapers to feature articles about
upcoming events and programs throughout the coming year. Area 23 has multiple
communication channels available to disseminate general information about Prince William
Special Olympics both internally and externally.
Thanks to a grant provided to military families, Area 23, with the guidance of the Region
Director, is pursuing a partnership with the Quantico Marine Corps Base. AlthoughWe have
already had two planning meetings with a third schedule for the end of August and attendance of
key staff at the base at our July Council meeting. An informational meeting was held on June 15,
2013 after many months of planning with the Exceptional Families Military Program (EFMP).
Some practices were held, however, due to low enrollment, the decision was made to hold a Fun
Field Day rather than a Little Big Feet Meet as originally planned. However, we do plan to work
with Quantico to start a Bowling Program on base that will be headed by two volunteers at
Quantico. We look forward to a successful relationship with Quantico in order to provide more
opportunities for families of exceptional children and adults as well as increased volunteer
opportunities.
The Advisory Committee provides a smoother transition within the Council when
positions are vacated. It is ideal to have the Area Coordinator, a position required by the State,
give 6 months lead time prior to resigning but this is not always feasible. If we have others on
the Council who can take over, then it would be a matter of back filling those positions, even if
temporarily. We have already used this concept several times over the last two years and found it
to be very effective.
Having a reserve of available volunteers makes Area 23 less vulnerable to vacancies, in
order to keep the focus on creating and sustaining viable sports training programs and athletic
and social events rather than using valuable time recruiting volunteers when vacancies occur.
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