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Racer News


IN THIS ISSUE


SPORTSSUPPORTERS
COACHES CORNERVOLUNTEER CORNERCOMMITTEE NEWS
ATHLETE CORNERSOOHFUNDRAISING
COORDINATOR NEWSOHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITYCONTACTS


SPORTS


Bowling at Penn Lanes. Powerlifting team. Bowling. Playing tennis Running track. Bocce medalists. Baseball. Tennis. Baseball. Track team on parade.

All our sports depend on volunteers and finances — and you see the same people volunteering season after season, sport after sport. They need help so changes are being made because of the need for both. Ideally, we should have a Fundraising Committee of 4-6 volunteers that meet virtually every other month and share in other duties as they arrange in between meetings. With a Volunteer Recruitment Committee (2-3) volunteers could come from the community as well as SODCOH. Our participation in any of the State Games will depend on our financial circumstances at the time.


SUPPORTERS


A Special Thanks to recent donors:

We are registered with Kroger as a Community Rewards organization. Please visit the Kroger Community Rewards page and choose us as your organization. We are listed as SPECIAL OLYMPICS DELAWARE CO., organization number SA652. If you search for SA652, you will find us right away.


COACHES CORNER


We are always looking for more coaches! We have many great coaches already, but we can always use more help. Adults, college students, high school students -- families with adults and kids who want to help -- there's a place for you to help.

All coaches are required to complete:

These are minimal requirements of International Special Olympics. Contact us if you are interested or see the Special Olympics Ohio become a coach page.


VOLUNTEER CORNER


Sadly there is not much news regarding volunteers. Bowling has new volunteers: Shana, Frank and Jennifer. All sports need volunteers.


COMMITTEE NEWS


You can reach the entire committee by sending email to advisory-list@sodcoh.org.

Connie Warner Local Coordinator
Tiff Bowen Family and Outreach Representative, also Bocce, Basketball, and Soccer Coach.
Jim Conger IT and Admin, also team dad for athletics and aquatics.
Leslie Deacon Finances and Coach Representative, also Powerlifting Coach
John Edgerton Athlete Representative and Assistant Coach
Jennifer Hinkle Community Representative and Bowling Coach
Frank Hinkle Community Representative and Bowling Coach
Dr. Scott Kurzer Community Representative and Medical Advisor
Jen Moore Uniform and Equipment Manager, Social Media Manager, Athletics Coach, Photographer, and Fundraising
Scott Pankoff Powerlifting Coach

We are always looking for new committee members. If you would like to help guide the future of SODCOH please send an email!


ATHLETE CORNER


John Edgerton has been in Special Olympics for 28 years. He is the Athlete Representative on the Advisory Committee, bowls, golfs and helps coach track. He was born in Columbus at University Hospital and attended Olentangy Schools. Meeting new people, seeing his friends and being part of a team are his favorite things about SODCOH.You can find him hanging out with friends and family, watching television and movies, taking walks or driving his new car!! His favorite seasons are spring and fall. The Buckeyes are his favorite sports team. He likes to vacation in North Dakota or Arizona. He is caring, loyal, and easy to get along with. Stop and talk with him the next time you see him.

We are looking for athletes to interview. If you want to be interviewed or have someone you want to nominate for an interview, Please contact Connie at connie.warner@sodcoh.org.


SOOH


Changes are still going on at the state level. Most confusing is their processing of the class A volunteer forms. We have been promised that this will be changing soon. Until then, if you get an email regarding your application please respond to it. If you're not sure about it send Connie an email.


FUNDRAISING


I want to specially thank the few parents that regularly donate to SODCOH. Donations are down and participation from athletes, families and friends is almost non-existent. Athletes, families and friends do not need to donate money. Your time and participation is what we need most.

Shana Leichliter has The Poker Run fundraiser on June 4th. Please see the flyer for details. She has had problems finding enough volunteers. Please help out!

Please sign up for the Kroger Community Rewards program. We currently receive $250-300 every three months — with only 27 households participating. We can do better! If we can double that number, we can double what we receive and we have hundreds of athletes so we should have hundreds of households that could join the program.

If you have any connections or ideas about grants we should apply for please let Connie know.


COORDINATOR NEWS


Athletes, Families and Friends,

I am excited that our spring season is fully open and has been very busy. We have been able to open all sports for the first time in two years. Many of our athletes participate in several sports even though the State only allows competition in one sport. I am extremely grateful for the coaches, parents and providers that have "stepped up to the plate" to help.

Some of the Special Olympics organizations in Ohio are run through school systems. Those can and do pull volunteers from the school system as well as financial support and locations for practice. Other organizations get volunteers, funding and locations from their county boards of DD. Still others, are parent run. It is expected that family members, providers and friends supply volunteers. Financial support is solely from donations. They find practice locations wherever they can. We are a parent run organization and rely on family, providers, friends and the community for all our needs.

SODCOH has a strong Advisory Committee and a great group of coaches. Every person on the Committee volunteers in more than one capacity. In addition to serving on the Committee, we coach (sometimes multiple sports), search for practice locations, raise money and a multitude of other things that the athletes need to be successful. Our coaches donate their time to coach weekly and often twice weekly. They participate in regional competitions as well as Spring, Fall, Winter and Summer Games. All volunteer their time to improve our athletes and our organization. We have approximately 240 athletes with only 10% of their families supporting SODCOH. We cannot continue this way. Many of our volunteers are "burnt out" and frustrated. In addition, we badly need a Fundraising Committee. We cannot continue without one. I cannot alone do all that is necessary to fully fund SODCOH. We pay for uniforms, equipment, golf, bowling, soccer tournaments, basketball tournaments, often location fees, Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter Games as well as operating expenses. Our fees for Summer Games alone exceed $4,000. We do not have enough volunteers currently to support our coaches and athletes. We need help in all sports in all capacities. All that is required is the completion of our class-A volunteer form and a few hours of your time.

My long-term plan was to improve SODCOH, add sports, possibly host regional competitions and grow our group. Exactly the opposite seems to be playing out! But, you have all heard this before in the last newsletter. There was little, if any response. It was very disappointing. As of this newsletter, we will not be able to offer all the sports we do now. Athletes will only be able to participate in the sport they intend to compete in. Without a Fundraising Committee we will be limiting participation and/or completely eliminate our more expensive sports and competitions beginning this summer.

Planning for next year has already started. Your response, or lack of it, will determine how we move forward. I am afraid that everyone has the comfortable history of not volunteering. That is not the way a parent run organization survives. If you intend to volunteer, I need you to contact me immediately. Waiting until we start the sport will be too late. Long- term-coaches and volunteers do not need to respond. We are counting on you. You do more than enough for our athletes.

Again, I appreciate every one of you that volunteers. SODCOH is surviving because you care!

Connie Warner
Local Coordinator
SODCOH


OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY


Ohio Wesleyan Bishop Logo As with other schools that we have had access to, Ohio Wesleyan University is still not allowing "outsiders" into their facilities. We will ask again about use of their pool when it is time to start swimming.


CONTACTS


Please visit our web site, www.sodcoh.org for more and current information, including our calendar.

You can contact us by: