Special Olympics Seminole County

Special Olympics Seminole County

Seminole Spirit

January 2007

407-263-8043

www.SpecialOlympicsSeminoleCounty.org

.……...UPCOMING DATES………..

January 4: Management Team Meeting

January 7: Basketball Competition

January 13: Summer Games Begin (Athletics, Cycling, Volleyball, & Tennis)

January 14: Summer Games Begin (Bocce)

January 20: Area Basketball

January 26-27: Coaches Conference

February 1: Management Team Meeting

February 9-10: Basketball Sectionals: Patrick Air Force Base

.………...Sports TALK………..

Practices

SUMMER GAMES BEGIN: Athletics, Volleyball, Cycling, Bocce, and Tennis

Practices are tentatively scheduled to begin on January 13/14. You will be contacted by your coach if any changes are made to the practice schedule/location. Sports schedules and rules will be given out at the first day of practice. Hope to see you all there!

***If you would like to participate or volunteer and your name is NOT listed below, please contact Dani Lundy to sign up. This way, if any scheduling changes occur, we can make sure that you are notified.***

Dani Lundy 407-571-8813 DKLundy@altamonte.org.

Track and Field Lake Mary High School Saturday January 13, 2007 1-3pm

Athletes Signed Up: Alexander Balleras, Joanne Counelis, Samantha Diaz, Dominique Diehl, David Gebara, Richard Hearn, Aaron Hudson, Ashley Magill, Richard Mendola, Stephen Miller, Mark Preston, Clayton Ruffing, Stephanie Sarasty, Mike Scrimenti, Graham Sumner, Lori Tarkenton, David Wright.

Volleyball Lake Mary High School Saturday January 13, 2007 1-3pm

Athletes Signed Up: Rosalie Allen, Joey Badders, Mike Badders, Nin El-khoury, James Jamerock, Brett Jones, Shelia Lehew, Dustin Paramore, Eduardo Penedo, Eric Taylor.

Cycling Lake Mary High School Saturday January 13, 2007 1-3pm

Athletes Signed Up: Daniel Akins, Eden Fulmer, Jessica Gouchenour, Monica Hernandez, Nealesh Manapragada, Sammy Sheldon.

Tennis Westmonte Park Saturday January 13, 2007 1-3pm

Athletes Signed Up: Joiner Abelove, Courtney Bredahl, Hope Lloyd

Bocce Westmonte Park Sunday January 14, 2007 1-3pm

Athletes Signed Up: Debbie Bechtold, Ken Davis, George Gibson, John Harrignton, Robert McCrumb, Jeff Sabon, Valorie Sutton, Matt Young.

Basketball

Practice has been moved back to Lake Mary High School (the back gymnasium). Make sure to contact your coach for more information. Good Luck on your competitions to come!!

RESULTS

Cheerleading Competition

The Sparklers and Sparkler-ettes earned 2^nd and 3^rd place in the CheerSport Competition at the Silver Spurs Arena on December 9, 2006. Way to go Sparklers!!

.……..ATHLETES IN ACTION……..

December BIRTHDAYS

Athlete Leadership Board

Special Olympics Seminole County wants to start an athlete management team. This team will discuss important issues, concerns, or improvements they wish to see implemented. Athlete leaders must be over the age of 16 and we need at least 4 athletes to begin the team. The board will meet once a month beginning in 2007. Please contact Debbie Taylor to get involved or for more information: DTaylor@SpecialOlympicsSeminoleCounty.org or 407-699-4776.

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

My name is Eden Fulmer. I don’t know anyone else named Eden. Like my name I’m “one of a kind.” I like my name, but most of all I like being me. I love people. I have more friends than I can count.

Special Olympics gives me the opportunity to be with friends. When I walk into a practice or event, I feel like glowing. I see friends, volunteers, and coaches. They smile and high-five me. I can’t wait to hug and high-five them back. There’s nothing as wonderful as friends. People ask me if I have ever met a stranger. In my life, there are no strangers, just friendships waiting to happen.

Currently, I am a Sparkler cheerleader. I dream about being Cinderella and a cheerleader. Being a Sparkler cheerleader is a dream-come-true. My favorite videos are about cheerleaders, cheerleading competition, and Cinderella. We won a gigantic trophy in the CheerSport competition in Jacksonville. “Sparkler” is a great name for our squad because that’s just what we do. We sparkle. Just look at the audience, they’re grinning so much they cry.

For me Special Olympics is about friends and the team spirit more than it is about competition or sports. I love being a team member. I’m on the swim team. The exercise is great. Like lots of other people, I battle with my weight. Special Olympics is fun and helps keep me in shape at the same time. My birthday is in June. My friends from the Special Olympics swim team came to my 21^st birthday pool party. Even the coaches and volunteers came to my party. Coaches and volunteers are really special.

In addition to Special Olympics, I like going to theme parks, especially Disney. Did I tell you I like Cinderella? My favorite gift is an annual pass to Disney or Sea World. I started going to theme parks independently when I was 12 years old. At first, my mom would bring a book, find a shady spot to sit and read. I would see my favorite shows and ride my favorite rides over and over again. Then I would find her when I was hungry or tired. Later my mom or dad would drop me off and pick me up from the theme parks. It wasn’t long before I could ride Lynx bus to the theme parks by myself. My career goal is to work at Disney as a cast member. Maybe I can be Cinderella. If not at Disney, then I’d like to work at Sea World.

I graduated from Morning Star School in 2004. I am a student at Winnie Palmer Hospital as part of an Orange County Public School Transition Program. I am learning to restock and re-supply the food service area where hospital staff and visitors eat. I volunteered more than 200 hours at the hospital during the summer riding Lynx bus to my volunteer job. On Lynx buses, I can transfers and go anywhere I want to go in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties.

.…...Coaches Corner…..

Coaches Training Certification Classes…

Basketball/Bocce, Track and Field, and Cycling coming up!

More Info: www.SpecialOlympicsSeminoleCounty.org/Coaches

Coaches Conference

Deadline to register is January 5, 2006. Coaches will be traveling to the Crown Plaza Hotel in Tampa for a weekend full of sports updates and information. The conference will be on January 26-27, 2007. For more information on weekend plans contact Dani Lundy at 407-571-8813 or DKLundy@altamonte.org

…...VOLUNTEERS MAKE IT HAPPEN…..

Volunteer Voices

Hi my name is Rachel Dagan and I am 16 years old and a junior at Lyman High School. I started volunteering with the Special Olympics in January of this year. I am now one of the coaches for the Sparklers! I love being involved, especially when I am helping athletes enjoy it. I absolutely love Special Olympics!

Rachel Dagan – Cheerleading Coach

…...Fundriasers…..

It is that time of year again for the Publix Torch Run Sale. If you would like to help sell torches at various Publix locations please contact Debbie Taylor. Every dollar raised helps support our program!!

Debbie Taylor 407-699-4776 DTaylor@SpecialOlympicsSeminoleCounty.org

…...Management Team Meetings…..

Meetings have been moved to:

Parkside Fellowship Curch of Nazarene, 200 North Wayman Street, Longwood Fl 32750

From Casselberry/Altamonte take 17-92 and make a LEFT onto 434. Make a RIGHT at the first light, Wayman. Go through the first stop sign, you will see the church on your left. Pass the church and turn LEFT down the next street (by the Fire Station). You want to enter the last doorway of the church.

…...Shriners Circus…..

Tickets have been ordered for the Shriner’ Circus. There are 25 tickets available for each day. Please contact Debbie Taylor for tickets at 407-699-4776 or DTaylor@SpecialOlympicsSeminoleCounty.org.

Saturday April 21 @ 10:00am Sunday April 22 @ 10:00am Sunday April 22 @ 7:00pm

.……...Communication………..

Has your Contact Information Changed? If you are an athlete, coach, volunteer, sponsor, or a community partner, please let us know if you information needs to be updated. Please send all changes to 407-263-8043 or info@SpecialOlympicsSeminoleCounty.org or visit: http://specialolympicsseminolecounty.org/UpdateInfo

…...COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS.….

This section of our newsletter will help others connect with all of the happenings within our community.

Have something you want to share with everyone? Let us know and we will add it to our Community Section!
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Basketball is in full swing!

We welcome over 40 Athletes to this year’s program! The season “tipped” off Nov. 7^th with our first “official” “tryouts” consisting of various shooting, dribbling and passing skills. This helped to assure that each athlete can excel at the proper division. Also, a special thanks to Mindy Setzer who has, along with being a coach, taken on the role of Basketball Director for this season to help make it even more successful!

Welcome our Coaches and Volunteer for this year:

Candice and Tim Escondon Tricia Duncan Kate Kauffman

Neil Scribner Kathy Abelove Debbie Taylor

Angel Hernandez Robyn Tipton Kevin Lajeunesse

Gabriella Rincon Joey Badders Mindy Setzer

Nin El-Khoury

A Special Thanks to Lake Mary High School Girls Softball Team and some of the other Student Athletes who have been volunteering the past couple of weeks. Click 4 Photos

Got Sparklers?

Central Florida got a good dose of Sparklers this December!

December 16: Sparklers performed for Channel 9 News Toys for Tots! Click 4 Photos

December 16: Sparklers cheered on the football players at the Annual All Star Football Game! Click 4 Photos

December 27: Sparklers marched through the Universal Macy’s Holiday Parade! Click 4 Photos

________________________________________________________________________________________

City Of Altamonte- Special Community Services

Provides many social outlets for individuals with physical and mental disabilities!

Contact: Nin El-khoury, 407-571-8814, Rrel-khoury@altamonte.org

Upcoming Events:

Special Needs Bowling on Mondays Square Dancing on Thursdays

Specials NightBird Dance at Westmonte Park Friday January 5, 2007 at 7pm

STOP Field Trip to BoggyCreek Airboat Ride Saturday January 13, 2007 at 7:30am-3:30pm

Dance-Abilities

Turning Pointe – A Dance Studio offers a class entitled Dance Abilities for children with special needs. This class focuses on coordination, balance, and creative movement. The children have so much fun and they meet many other dancers just like them. The dancers range in age from 4-12 years old. Classes have started, so please stop by to check it out and register! There is only a $20 registration fee for the year because the class is FREE! If you have any further questions call Heather Meyer at 407-862-5500 or email Turningpte@aol.com

“Buddy Breaks” From Nathaniel’s Hope…Helping Parents Take a Time Out!

Many dates available for you to take a break! 407-857-8224

Illiad- Independent Living Initiative Assisting the Disabled

This program assists students in Central Florida in developing the skills that will promote a positive transition from high school into the adult world. “Building the Future With the Succedss For Today!”

More Information: Shari Grat at 407-320-0016 or email are Shari_Gray@scps.k12.fl.us

SEPTA- Special Education Parent Teacher Association in Seminole County Public Schools

“Dedicated as a resource for parents and teachers committed to the education and optimal development of children of every exceptionality” Contact: 407-320-7871 or Septa@inaime.com

Angels Among Us

Congratulations to Charbel Bubba El-khoury, Mark Preston, and Brett Jones for begin the newest members of “Angels Among Us”, a theater group sponsored by St. Mary Magedelan Church.

.……...CONTROL YOUR NEWS……..

Newsletters are published on the 10^th of every month. To add content for the E-newsletter, please submit information by the 5^th of every month. Information on upcoming events, jokes, quotes, anecdotes, or any other related information is welcome! Contact Kevin Lajeunesse for any newsletter related questions: 407-257-7730 KLajeunesse@SpecialOlympicsSeminoleCounty.org or visit the website to submit your information electronically: http://www.specialolympicsseminolecounty.org/MonthlyENewsletter.html (Scroll to the bottom of the page)