what sup in Area M National Games AWESOME ATHLETES

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Fall 2018 what sup in Area M National Games AWESOME ATHLETES Special Olympics USA Games was held in Seattle, WA from

Taryn Mockus was the Assistant Athletics Coach.

Joey Ranck competed in Bowling and came home with a bronze medal, 5th place ribbon and 6th place ribbon.

They had a great time, did their best while competing and represented PA proudly.

1 Fall 2018 what sup in Area M National Games AWESOME ATHLETES Special Olympics USA Games was held in Seattle, WA from July 1-7, Area M was fortunate to have a number of athletes and coaches on Team PA. Taryn Mockus was the Assistant Athletics Coach. Adam Smith competed in Swimming and came home with a silver medal, bronze medal and 4th place ribbon. Joey Ranck competed in Bowling and came home with a bronze medal, 5th place ribbon and 6th place ribbon. Team PA Basketball, aka The Area M Lakers, came home with the gold medal! We are VERY proud of Team PA! They had a great time, did their best while competing and represented PA proudly. Thank you to everyone who cheered for ALL of Team PA on Facebook and a special thank you to those of you that helped welcome them home! Thank you to Premiere #1 Limousine Service for transporting our athletes and coaches to and from the airport in style! Thank you to Northeast Fire & Rescue and to Enola Fire Company for escorting them to the welcome home celebration! Continued on page 3 Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry and Northern York Counties PO Box Miller Street Summerdale, PA

2 KARNS IS AMAZING GENEROUS SPECTACULAR PART OF OUR FAMILY! THANKS SO MUCH!!! Special Olympics PA - Area M Month at Karns August was Special Olympics PA Area M month at your local Karns stores. We had Celebrity Baggers in the stores 3 times during the month. All of the athletes and chaperones that participated had a GREAT time with the Karns employees and customers was a record breaking year for this fundraiser $43,031 was raised for Area M!!! This brings the total raised by Karns since 1997 to an amazing $335,961!!! THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND CUSTOMERS OF KARNS QUALITY FOODS! The support and love you show for our athletes is AMAZING and we can t thank you enough! WOW $43, WE LOVE KARNS! Area M PLU540 - $1. PLU541 - $5. PLU542 - $10. dauphin cumberland Perry & northern york counties Thank You For Your Support! 2

3 Continued from page 1 National Games AWESOME ATHLETES CONGRATULATIONS! 3

15 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE! The 15th Annual Fall Sports Classic was held in Hershey, PA on Sunday, September 16th.

There were almost 1,000 athletes and coaches from 20 Special Olympics PA local programs in attendance as well as over 300 volunteers!

Thank you to Derry Township School District, Derry Township Parks & Rec and The Hershey Italian Lodge for the use of your facilities, they are the best!

Athlete LeadshipTeam The athletes on the Athlete Leadership Team have been busy these last few months!

4 15 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE! The 15th Annual Fall Sports Classic was held in Hershey, PA on Sunday, September 16th. It was a great day of competition in Bocce, Long Distance Running/Walking, Powerlifting, Soccer and Volleyball. There were almost 1,000 athletes and coaches from 20 Special Olympics PA local programs in attendance as well as over 300 volunteers! Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible The Hershey Company, Enola Sportsmans Club and The Ames Companies. Thank you to Derry Township School District, Derry Township Parks & Rec and The Hershey Italian Lodge for the use of your facilities, they are the best! We would also like to thank all of the businesses and organizations that give in-kind donations to this event. We couldn t host such a great competition without your support! Athlete LeadshipTeam The athletes on the Athlete Leadership Team have been busy these last few months! In September, they presented the Opening Ceremony at the Fall Classic, and helped paint some of the fun rocks that were used as decorations at the Gala. Athlete Representative, Zach Hicks, represented the athletes of Area M when he attended the SOPA Leadership Conference and the Athlete Congress; he reported back to the team all of the important information he had learned at the Congress. Because of his hard work as an athlete leader, Zach was awarded the Athlete Leader of the Year Award at the Gala. Athletes also helped at the Harrisburg Young Professionals 5 Miler and at the newest Sheetz opening in Camp Hill, as well as helping Kristie at various presentations in the area. In November, you saw the athletes as they emceed at the Gala. One of the goals of the team is to practice and share ideas for Healthy Habits. At the October meeting, Emily Sanders shared her healthy menu that included a Greek Salad with artichokes, olives, and feta cheese. Each month an athlete volunteers to share a healthy activity or a healthy menu idea with the team. 4 If you would like to be a part of this exciting team, talk to your coach, look for the application on the SOPAM.org website, or contact Kristie (kdavis.aream@specialolympicspa.org) or Jan Holt (holt81173@msn.com). WE RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW ATHLETES TO JOIN THE TEAM THEY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU JOIN THEM!

WREATH SALE BOCCE UNIFIED SPORTS EXPERIENCE RECAP The 2nd Annual Unified

Everyone had a great time playing bocce and sharing the mission of

We are once again selling beautiful hand-crafted 22 holiday wreaths.

You will be able to add to your order until Nov 16th.

each. HYP 5-MILER RECAP Harrisburg Young Professionals hosted their 5th

Special Olympics PA Area M was one of the charities selected by HYP to

Thank you to HYP for selecting our program and to all of the runners who

5 WREATH SALE BOCCE UNIFIED SPORTS EXPERIENCE RECAP The 2nd Annual Unified Government Bocce Challenge was held on Monday, April 16th in the East Rotunda of the Capitol building. 21 of the 40 athletes participating were from Area M. Everyone had a great time playing bocce and sharing the mission of Special Olympics with our government officials. We are once again selling beautiful hand-crafted 22 holiday wreaths. Original orders are due to the Area M office by November 2nd. You will be able to add to your order until Nov 16th. Wreath pick-up will be on Saturday, November 24th from 9:30am 11am. Wreaths are $30. Hangers (black or brass) and 28 display easels are also available for $3 each. HYP 5-MILER RECAP Harrisburg Young Professionals hosted their 5th Annual Centric Bank 5 Miler for 5 Charities on Saturday, September 29th. Special Olympics PA Area M was one of the charities selected by HYP to receive a donation. We will be receiving $1,000 from this event! Thank you to HYP for selecting our program and to all of the runners who participated! Fall Festival will be held at Villanova University November 2nd 4th. Area M will be taking a delegation of 149 athletes and coaches to compete in Bocce, Long Distance Running/Walking, Powerlifting, Roller Skating, Soccer and Volleyball. Best of luck to everyone! 5

6 The Area M Awards Gala was held at the Radisson on Sunday, October 7th. With over 400 people in attendance it was a full house! We had a great time recognizing our athletes, coaches, volunteers and sponsors. Thank you to our event sponsors Select Medical and Member s 1st FCU for financially supporting the Awards Gala. Thank you to everyone who donated to and supported the Silent Auction! Thank you also to DJ Tommy for providing music for the dancing! OUR ATHLETES Area M 6

Alpine Skiing Athletics Basketball Bocce Bowling Equestrian Flag Football Floor

Swimming Ice Speed Skating Tennis Volleyball Athlete Oath Award Unified Partner

Coach of the Year McKenzie Wagner Ricky Eutzy, Jr Amber Erdman Jennifer

Cassius Pegram Trevor Wagner Shriya Acharya Brittnay Goss Emily Koontz Jacob

Camryn Lilly Penny Scott Tim McConnell Patrick Garrett Raymond Strunk Shriya

Jr Rebecca Ferraro Matt Hassler Kaitlin Hyndman Kevin Rathgeber John Curley

7 Alpine Skiing Athletics Basketball Bocce Bowling Equestrian Flag Football Floor Hockey Golf Gymnastics LDR/LDW Power Lifting Roller Skating Soccer Softball Swimming Ice Speed Skating Tennis Volleyball Athlete Oath Award Unified Partner of the Year ALT Member of the Year Volunteer of the Year Family of the Year Coach of the Year McKenzie Wagner Ricky Eutzy, Jr Amber Erdman Jennifer Francavilla Grace Raich Christopher Nichols Matt Drumheiser Alex Otteson Cassius Pegram Trevor Wagner Shriya Acharya Brittnay Goss Emily Koontz Jacob Schratz Alex Otteson McKenzie Wagner Will Weezorak Connor Nazarian Annie Plank Camryn Lilly Penny Scott Tim McConnell Patrick Garrett Raymond Strunk Shriya Acharya Devin Eshelman Mike Frazier Sam Pelham Jennifer Yeater Thomas Pompey, Jr Rebecca Ferraro Matt Hassler Kaitlin Hyndman Kevin Rathgeber John Curley Elizabeth Brown Ryan Twigg Eric Webb Kristin Ibberson Sean Fraker Zach Hicks Jeff Holt The Bell s Kathy Charron 7

SUMMER GAMES Area M took a delegation of almost 200 athletes and coaches to compete at

Our athletes competed in Athletics, Basketball, Bowling, Equestrian, Golf, Gymnastics,

They came home with lots of medals and ribbons, but most importantly with wonderful

Greg Zimmerman: Mission to Kijabe THANK YOU GREG FOR GIVING BACK.

Athlete Congress/Leadership Conference/Reorganization SOPA s Annual Leadership

During the Leadership Conference an Athlete Congress was also held that Area M Athlete

The athletes attending the Congress were asked to vote on which Goal and Strategy within

By popular vote, the 2018 Athlete Congress priority was determined to be enhancing

They provided feedback on topics such as Coaching, Fit 5, Personal Bests and Health &

During the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, Donhelen Hodges graduated from Global

A reorganization is being considered in order to serve more athletes, offer better

8 SUMMER GAMES Area M took a delegation of almost 200 athletes and coaches to compete at Summer Games held at Penn State University May 31st June 2nd. Our athletes competed in Athletics, Basketball, Bowling, Equestrian, Golf, Gymnastics, Softball, Swimming and Tennis. They came home with lots of medals and ribbons, but most importantly with wonderful memories of great competition, doing their best and having fun with their friends! Greg Zimmerman: Mission to Kijabe THANK YOU GREG FOR GIVING BACK. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU. Athlete Congress/Leadership Conference/Reorganization SOPA s Annual Leadership Conference was held in State College, PA on August 25th & 26th. During the Leadership Conference an Athlete Congress was also held that Area M Athlete Representative, Zach Hicks, attended. The athletes attending the Congress were asked to vote on which Goal and Strategy within the SOPA Strategic Plan could be improved the most. By popular vote, the 2018 Athlete Congress priority was determined to be enhancing athlete opportunities to achieve their best and improve sports programming. They provided feedback on topics such as Coaching, Fit 5, Personal Bests and Health & Fitness Coordinators. This feedback was then shared with the appropriate SOPA staff. During the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, Donhelen Hodges graduated from Global Messenger II training and Sean Fraker was recognized as the SOPA Unified Partner of the Year. Congratulations! During the conference a SOPA Reorganization Plan, The Way Forward, was proposed. A reorganization is being considered in order to serve more athletes, offer better quality & experiences for all athletes and to provide equity of services for all athletes across the state. A proposed regional structure that would have 9 Regions with paid staff was presented. There are many questions that are in the process of being asked and considered about the proposal. More information will be coming! If you would like to see the presentation that was given or have any questions please reach out to Area M Director, Kristie at kdavis.aream@specialolympicspa.org or

AREA M GAMES! The 49th Annual Area M Games was held on Thursday, April 19th at Messiah College.

The weather wasn t the best, but there were LOTS of smiles and the athletes had a great time competing and

Congratulations to the t-shirt design winner, Kylee Car from Big Spring Middle School, and to the Joyful

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsors D&H Distributing, Momentum Inc.

Members 1st FCU, Central PA Chapter CPCU and Capital Business Systems.

businesses that donate financially and in-kind to this event. We couldn t do it without your support!

support we receive from their students, faculty and staff. The Messiah College community is awesome!

9 AREA M GAMES! The 49th Annual Area M Games was held on Thursday, April 19th at Messiah College. We had almost 1,300 athletes competing in Athletics and Swimming. The weather wasn t the best, but there were LOTS of smiles and the athletes had a great time competing and visiting Olympic Village. Congratulations to the t-shirt design winner, Kylee Car from Big Spring Middle School, and to the Joyful Spirit Award winner, Rebecca Wright from Big Spring High School! Thank you to our Platinum Sponsors D&H Distributing, Momentum Inc. and NAPA Transportation, our Gold Sponsors Highmark Blue Shield and Select Medical, and our Silver Sponsors Members 1st FCU, Central PA Chapter CPCU and Capital Business Systems. We would also like to thank Applebee s for their annual donation card fundraiser as well as all of the other businesses that donate financially and in-kind to this event. We couldn t do it without your support! A special thank you goes to Messiah College for the use of their wonderful facilities as well as all of the support we receive from their students, faculty and staff. The Messiah College community is awesome! A HUGE thank you to the planning committee and thousands of day of event volunteers that make Area M Games possible and a special day for our athletes! Save the date for the 50th Anniversary of Area M Games on Thursday, April 11, 2019 Do you have a story about how participating in Area M Games has changed your life? Contact Kristie to share your story at kdavis.aream@specialolympicspa.org or

RECAPS Area M Senators Game Area M night at the ballpark was on Friday, June 15th.

Our athletes did a high-five tunnel for the Senators and joined them on the field for the National

The Spring Thing was held on Sunday, May 13th at Cumberland Valley High School.

The basketball athletes from 6 Special Olympics PA local programs all had a great time competing.

Thank you also to our Bronze Sponsor, Appalachian Harley Davidson, and our Lunch Sponsor, Wegman s.

The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community was held on Saturday, May 19th at HACC.

They raised a total of $4,500 for Area M! We had a lot of new faces participate this year.

Save the Date Saturday, May 18, 2019 United Way Volunteer of Year Nomination.

48 athletes and guests attended courtesy of Williams Grove.

10 RECAPS Area M Senators Game Area M night at the ballpark was on Friday, June 15th. There were almost 100 of us there from Area M. Our athletes did a high-five tunnel for the Senators and joined them on the field for the National Anthem. We had a great time watching the game and fireworks! The Spring Thing was held on Sunday, May 13th at Cumberland Valley High School. Unfortunately we had to cancel all of the outside sports due to the weather. The basketball athletes from 6 Special Olympics PA local programs all had a great time competing. Thank you to Cumberland Valley School District for the use of their wonderful facilities. Thank you also to our Bronze Sponsor, Appalachian Harley Davidson, and our Lunch Sponsor, Wegman s. We couldn t do it without the support of local organizations and businesses! The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community was held on Saturday, May 19th at HACC. We had 8 teams with 61 participants take part in this fundraiser. They raised a total of $4,500 for Area M! We had a lot of new faces participate this year. We d love to see even more of you next year! Save the Date Saturday, May 18, 2019 United Way Volunteer of Year Nomination... Louise Bell We had a fun night at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday, July 20th! 48 athletes and guests attended courtesy of Williams Grove. They had a great time watching the World of Outlaws take to the track. Thank you Williams Grove for your generous donation of $770 from the 50/50 that night and for your support of our athletes! 10 Congratulations to Area M s Louise Bell, who was recognized as a Volunteer of the Year nominee by the United Way of the Capital Region in April. She was nominated for all of the volunteer work she does for our program. THANK YOU for all you do for the athletes, coaches and volunteers of Area M!

org for more information and to register

11 WE LL BE FREEZIN FOR A REASON ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019! The 14th Annual Capital Area Polar Plunge will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at Gifford Pinchot State Park. Register today! Visit for more information and to register to Take the Plunge! Grand Openings EVERY TIME A NEW SHEETZ STORE OPENS THEY MAKE A DONATION TO SPECIAL OLYMPICS PA! If we have an Area M Global Messenger speak at the Grand Opening then we receive $1,250! Sheetz recently opened two stores in Area M, one in Grantville on July 10th and one in Enola on September 27th. THANK YOU SHEETZ FOR ALL YOU DO TO SUPPORT THE ATHLETES OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS PA! 11

We love our athletes and thank our coaches and

2019 special dates Dances CAIU 6:30pm 8:30pm

s Dance Friday, February 15, 2019 Events Bowling

Trindle Lanes Wreath pick-up Saturday, November

Speed Skating Competition Wednesday, November 28,

Sunday, January 20th, 2019 Capital Area Polar

State Park Outdoor Winter Games February 10-12,

12 We love our athletes and thank our coaches and volunteers. YOU ARE ALL SO AWESOME!!! special dates Dances CAIU 6:30pm 8:30pm Holiday Dance Friday, December 14, 2018 Valentine s Dance Friday, February 15, 2019 Events Bowling Tournament Sunday, November 11, 2018 Area M Trindle Lanes Wreath pick-up Saturday, November 24, 2018 Storage Depot 9:30am 11am Area M Ice Speed Skating Competition Wednesday, November 28, 2018 HersheyPark Arena Central Bowling Sectionals Sunday, January 20th, 2019 Capital Area Polar Plunge Saturday, January 26, 2019 Gifford Pinchot State Park Outdoor Winter Games February 10-12, 2019 Seven Springs Indoor Winter Games March 2-3, 2019 York, PA Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt. - Special Olympics Athlete Oath follow us on specialolympicspaaream 12

what sup in Area M Join us at March 19th April 19th

what sup in Area M Join us at March 19th April 19th what sup up Spring 2018 in Area M Join us at Help support the 49th Annual Area M Games! All local Applebee s restaurants will have donation cards featuring Area M athletes from March 19th April 19th to