Special Olympics is #CelebratingChampions this July!
Every day for the last 4 decades, I have thought about Special Olympics. First as a volunteer, then as National Director of Special Olympics Ireland and Regional President of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, and today as the Special Olympics International CEO. I think about the athletes and the joy sports bring into their lives. I think about the past and how far we have come in creating a better world for people with an intellectual disability. And I also think about the future, and what that looks like for each and every member of our Movement.
Today, I am excited to announce that this July we will be embarking on a new journey in order to bring greater awareness to our athletes and their abilities while also creating new opportunities for them. This July, we are #CelebratingChampions.
All month long, we will be sharing the stories of our athletes as we raise the funds necessary to continue supporting them. Thanks to Perfect Sense, the official partner of #CelebratingChampions, all donations made through the month of July will be MATCHED.
Additionally, through the support of our partners Microsoft, TD Bank, WWE, General Growth Properties, PopSugar, Shake Shack Dupont Circle, Alex & Ani, and Cheryl’s Cookies, we will celebrate our champions who are changing the game by defying norms. These champions are our agents of change, advocating in their own different ways for our Movement and working in their communities to promote acceptance — not just on the field, but also in the classroom, the workplace and throughout society.
As we launch this campaign, I can’t help but hear the words Mrs. Shriver proclaimed to a full stadium in South Bend, Indiana, in 1987 — “You have earned it.”
While these words have guided our actions since they were first declared, this July, we are taking the first steps in ensuring that these words remain steady in their promise to our athletes for a brighter future.
Today, as we lay the foundation for the next 50 years of our Movement, we are also preparing the world for our next generation of champions & we invite you to join us!
