There is so much good stuff going on with nonprofitshoppingmall.com these days that it’s been a little tough finding the time to get on with this whole blogging concept. Yet, I’m getting the hang of it and have come to realize that I am pretty much supposed to work around the clock to keep up with the demands of running a site like ours, while at the same time keep you updated with fresh, new and sometimes even newsworthy information. While this isn’t one of those especially newsworthy pieces, it does come to you with a great deal of heart. This site wasn’t created randomly – it was initially intended to raise funds for and honor the champion spirit of Special Olympics athletes the world over – with perhaps a bias for those that I got to know personally during my tenure with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) as its Development Director in Orange County. I’m happy to report that SOSC went live with their custom ’shopping window’ recently and are now on their way to raising even more money to support the more than 12,500 Special Olympics athletes that live, train and compete in Southern California.
I’ll bet you didn’t know that Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization. I didn’t either until I started to work for them. Sure, I’d heard of Special Olympics, who hasn’t – but the misconception still lies in the fact that most people don’t realize that it’s a year-round, free program, offering sports training and competitive opportunities to men, women, boys and girls with varying degrees of intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, develop self esteem and find a place in society that’s accepting and empowering. With over 2.5 million Special Olympics athletes participating in programs in North America and some 165 countries worldwide, the movement has set a formidable goal to grow to 3 million athletes by 2010.
One of the greatest joys that comes from working with Special Olympics athletes and their families is knowing that the motto ‘Special Olympics Changes Lives’ is actually true. I know it’s changed mine and I’ve seen first hand how it changes the athletes, their families, friends and communities. Special Olympics games and tournaments are held in the truest sense of the competitive spirit. Perhaps no world records will ever be broken for speed or distance in Special Olympics but each athlete steps out onto the playing field ‘if not to win, to be brave in the attempt’ and achieve a personal best. As a movement, Special Olympics has the ability to change attitudes around the world about people with intellectual disabilities by sending a focused message emphasizing potential, ability and acceptance.
To truly capture the spirit of Special Olympics, please take a minute to watch the attached video. I think you’ll be glad you did.
