For the third consecutive year Special Olympics Washington has been once again invited to be part the April point of service fundraising promotion with Safeway stores across the state! Visit your neighborhood Safeway store from March 28 – May 2, 2010 and make a donation at checkout. Last year, Special Olympics participated in this promotion with Easter Seals and we raised $11.2 million in the US and Canada—an increase of $1.2 million from 2008. With your support again we believe that the Special Olympics partnership will continue to impact the success of Safeway's April promotion.

Proceeds will benefit Special Olympics and Easter Seals in local communities, which will allow us to provide greater services and programs for our 9440 athletes and help us reach the over 180 thousand children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Washington state to bring them into the Special Olympics family.

SEATTLE - On March 3rd thousands of Special Olympics athletes, Unified Partners® and high school students across the United States participated in several events to challenge and educate our society about the hurtful use of the word “retard” and encourage others to think before they speak.

In Washington State, students of the Federal Way School District formed the Youth Activation Committee (YAC) and took the lead in staging the states first ever “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign, on March 3rd, at the Federal Way High School, in the “Eagles Nest” gymnasium

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Students read a proclamation issued by Washington State Governor, Christine Gregoire, proclaiming March 3rd “Spread the Word to End the Word Day” in Washington State and a proclamation by Federal Way Mayor Linda Kochmar, declaring March 3, 2010 “SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD” “ERASE THE R-WORD DAY” in Federal Way.

The YAC scheduled a twenty- minute school assembly with approximately 150 students attending, promoting the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities and educating students about the harmful effects of using the “r word”.

The assembly featured Special Olympics Washington athlete John Emmett and Unified Partner Tyler Bjork who spoke about the hurtful effects of using the words “retard” or “retarded”.

Throughout the day, students, faculty and staff and the school community were asked to take the pledge online at www.r-word.org, or by signing a pledge sheet. Tallies of pledges from the event will be available later in the week, as supporters strive to reach 1,000 pledges.

In addition, Decatur, Beamer and Federal Way high schools set up tables at during the lunch hour where students stopped and signed the pledge to end the r word.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Bill Southern,
Outreach & Public Affairs Director
206-829-7083; Email
or
Doria Hastings, Project UNIFY Coordinator
206-829-7074; Email

Iraq Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Washington
Steve Coulston, an Airway Heights police officer deployed in Iraq organized the event.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Willoughby

SPECIAL OLYMPICS WASHINGTON LAUNCHES PROJECT UNIFY
Federal Grant To Fund Existing Program And Expansion

SEATTLE – Special Olympics Washington is the recipient of an $80,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue and expand the organizations’ Young Athletes program which encourages and engages all students in volunteering and/or participating in Special Olympics activities.

Project Unify serves as the starting point for the Young Athletes program: an innovative sports play program designed for children with intellectual disabilities, ages 2 – 7, as an introduction to the world of sports, prior to traditional Special Olympics eligibility at the age of eight. The program includes and encourages students without intellectual disabilities to participate as well. Read More>>