About Us
Special Olympics Wisconsin
Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) is a statewide organization providing persons with
cognitive disabilities year-round sports training and competition. Individuals who
are at least eight years old and are identified as having a cognitive disability are
eligible for participation.
With seven Area offices throughout the state, Special Olympics Wisconsin serves nearly 10,000 athletes in nearly 220 communities statewide. SOWI is one of the 50 state programs and one of nearly 165 countries providing this opportunity to more than one million athletes worldwide.
Mission
To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with cognitive disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
More Information
- Board of Directors
- History of Special Olympics world-wide and in Wisconsin
- Facts on Cognitive Disabilities
- Contact Us
The Facts:
- Athletes: nearly 10,000
- Average Age of Athletes: 29
- Registered Local Agencies: 220
- Competitions Statewide: 78
- Certified Coaches: 1,129
- Volunteers: 14,538
Sports Offered:
- Alpine Skiing
- Aquatics (swimming)
- Athletics (track & field)
- Basketball
- Bocce
- Bowling
- Cross Country Skiing
- Cycling
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Powerlifting
- Snowboarding
- Snowshoeing
- Soccer
- Softball and Tee Ball
- Speedskating
- Tennis
- Volleyball
State Competitions Held:
Statewide Fund raisers:
- Law Enforcement Torch Run®
- Polar Plunge®
- World's Largest Truck Convoy®
- Du Run Run Children's Duathlon
Contribution Sources:
2007 Financial Statement
2006 Financial Statement
2005 Financial Statement
2004 Financial Statement
2003 Financial Statement
Special Olympics Initiatives
- Athlete Leadership Programs (ALPs) train athletes
to serve in meaningful leadership roles outside that of "competitor." They offer
athletes opportunities to participate as partners in all aspects of the Special
Olympics movement in Wisconsin.
- Delta Dental Healthy Athletes Program is aimed at improving, through better health and fitness, each athlete's ability to train and compete in Special Olympics. It provides basic health-care screenings and testing to Special Olympics athletes at no cost.
AmeriCorps Outreach Assistants Thanks to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WDPI) receiving a grant through the Corporation for National and Community Service, Mila Holcombe, SOWI athlete & Americorps Member is helping Special Olympics Wisconsin reach our goal of reaching 10,000 more athletes.
Research
As part of the Strategic Research and Evaluation Plan, Special Olympics Inc. (SOI) has conducted several studies concerning the population that Special Olympics serves and society's attitudes towards them. Click here for more information
For more information about Special Olympics Wisconsin contact the Program Office
at 800/552-1324 or e-mail info@specialolympicswisconsin.org.
Carolyn Voelker competed
in Cross Country Skiing in Nagano, Japan during the 2005 World Winter Games.