This Friday starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Drew Central Multi-Purpose Facility the Area 12 will be holding their basketball tournament. As of right not officials and score keepers might still be needed. The director for Area 12 is Ked Donham.
If you arent' busy I highly recommend that you try to stop by.
The next few posts will be tidbits of information on Special Olympics
BE A FAN..Special Olympics believes in creating communities around the world - placew where each person, regardless of ability or disability, is accepted and welcomed and where every individual contributes to the strength and vibrancy of the whole. The movement envisions unity built by the bonds of common acceptance, natural inclusion and joyful celebration of the intrinsic world where attitudes of FEAR, EMBARRASSMENT, PREJUDICE, PITY and INDIFFERENCE have given away to a prevailing atmosphere of GENUINE ACCEPTANCE, DIGINITY and CELEBRATION OF THE HUMAN RACE.
With sports at the core, Special Olympics has grown to be a movement that is not just about the largest disability population in the world, but about all of us. Sports is a universal language which unites people on and off the field of play, cutting across lines of race, religion, ethnicity, education level, social status and economic background.
The movement invites everyone to share in values that EVERYONE can appreciate: UNITY, ACCEPTANCE, EMPOWERMENT, DIGNITY, COURAGE, STRENGTH, INSPIRATION, DETERMINATION, PRIDE, CONFIDENCE and FUN. If you are a fan of sports that create unity, athletes who inspire and connections that foster acceptance, then YOU are already a fan of Special Olympics.
All around the world, peoples' lives have been changed for the BETTER as a result of their involvement in Special Olympics.
To celebrate this global vision of unity, Special Olympics has laucned the Be a fan (trademarked) campaign, a fully-integrated marketing campaign which invites the world to connect through sport.
"Be a fan" (trademarked) is the theme of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games and will be seen throughout the world in advertising, at events, on uniforms, throughout our website (www.specialolympics.org) and more. It is the goal of Special Olympics to reach more people who will not only celebrate dignity, acceptance and the human race, but will join and commit to our movement of change.
LET ME WIN, BUT IF I CANNOT WIN, LET ME BE BRAVE IN THE ATTEMPT
I CANNOT begin to cover what all happened this past week. I want to start off by saying CONGRATULATIONS to Team USA White (Arkansas). They were the only USA Floor Hockey team that played for gold. While they did not win the gold the smile on their faces as they received their silver medal showed different. Arkansas, probably like most of the USA teams were picked to play together. They come from different cities and had about 3 months to prepare for these games. After watching some of the games involving foreign teams it was obvious that some teams have been together for a while. Didn't make a difference. Team USA White played with heart, determination and pride. When they scored they would start chanting USA USA.
I've learned a couple of things while I've at the games. Jordan, Kuwait, Korea, China, Germany, France...no matter what language there are a few things that are "universal" in language: a smile, a camera, a trading pin, a high five after a game and music. With those things friendships are made.
I would like everybody who reads this post to try to make time and attend a local Special Olympic event. Coming up soon will be basketball & track and field games. I will post when these are going on. Attend, go out and and support, give a high five, exchange a smile and change your life!
Well this is my post for now....or at least until I get my pictures downloaded.
What a day!!!!!!!!!!!!
This morning as I was leaving the hotel there were a contenciency of German atheletes in the lobby. One of the athelets come up and looked at my creditial and noticed I was family. He said good morning and (in German) I said good morning to him. He was very shocked that I spoke German (and it wasn't much). He went and found one of his coaches and we started talking. I was able to tell him (in German) that my mother was from Heidelburg and that I spoke a little German. He was able to tell me that he spoke a little English. Well in the 5 minutes I talked to the gentleman I found out that one of his brothers was married in Heidelburg and that he had a twin brother that lived in Pennsylvania and he created chocolate candy designs (sounds like Willie Wonka to me). That experience was so awesome.
Next, while I was waiting in line to get into the Expo Center there was a contengency from Austria, Japan and Sweden near. It was so cool to hear them speak in their native language. I did have to wonder though why the one Japanese lady was wearing a doctor's mask....as a matter of fact there were a few others.
Since I cannot download my pictures from my camera to my new laptop (didn't think about bringing the 35mm camera disc with me) I will hit the highlights. Sudan, Jordan, Saudia Arabia, Kuwait, Kazakstan, Trinidad & Tobago, Morocco...these are just a few countries to start off. There were even some countries that I've never heard of before. Some countries had 20 atheletes and some only had 1. While the United States was coming in I found my brother and "neices" Marie & Neece.
Kenny G composed a song specially for the Opening Ceremonies and while I am not a Kenny G fan it was great. There were other celebraties also: Bart Conner, Nadia Comanechi, Scott Hamilton, Donna Devero, Kristi Yamaguchi, motivational speaker Tony Robinson, and of course Maria, Bobby and Tim Shriver.
The entertainment was also good. A group called Flame from NY performed. Each member is a special need person. The bass player is confined to a wheel chair. The drummer is blind (and he could play!), the back-up singers also had disabilities and then the lead singer is autistic. She could sing your socks off. There were a few other artists but I cannot remember their names.
Right before the torch made its way into the center various law enforcement officers come down onto the floor. They had atheletes from the continents run the torch and then an athelete whose brother is serving overseas got to light the cauldrin.
It was so cool to see the atheletes from different countries dancing & having a great time. There were some dance moves I've NEVER seen! Well the competitions start tomorrow and I can't wait. Of course I am here to see floor hockey but I also want to see speed skating, ice skating and snowshoeing. I guess I want to see it all. I also want to take just a little bit of time to see Boise and McCall. Downtown Boise is just so cozy. Lots of neat little shop and eating places. I look forward to going to McCall since that is in the mountains....with snow! There is an 80% chance of snow here on Tuesday.
Well it's 10:50 here and I have to be up at 6:30 in the morning so that is it for tonight....so much to say that it just jumbles in my head.
To top off this trip......Taylor's birthday is tomorrow.....she would be 16!
My flight to Boise is out this morning @ 8:12 a.m. Jason dropped me off at the airport and is headed back to work. Therefore I've been at the airport since 4:45 a.m. Now I must ask....why are there so many friggin people at the airport @ 4:45 a.m.? There was a group going to Honduras....the Bryant Cheerleaders are headed somewhere. It was very hectic here for a while, but here at 5:54 a.m. all is quiet.
I am patiently waiting to check in. The Starbucks Cafe in the lower section does not open until 6:00 a.m. I must say that the pastries look good from where I sit.
Today I have a better outlook on my brother's "retirement". I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason and I definately see it with this. Sometimes when you are not happy, but not necessarily willing to make a change, it takes a little PUSH to finally move forward. With my brother's "retirement" I think this is the little push he needed. There is one other push my brother needs, but I truly feel that will happen sooner than later. After leaving work last night @ 7:15 p.m. sometimes I would get the prevurbial push.
Anyway, I am happy to be able to spend one of my vacations with my brother, which is something that.....well I can't even remember the last time we did this. On the other hand I am sad that Jason did not want to go. I am sure he will miss me......yea right!!
Well keep checking back through February 14th as I will TRY to update my blog every night with my days activities.
Hope everybody has a great weekend!
OH....The lady Volunteers game Pat Summitt her 1,000th win last night!
In 5 days from today I will be close to landing in Boise, ID. This morning I decided to go ahead and start washing and packing the items I know I will be taking but I won't need to wear this week. This week is a short work week (which I don't need) which means staying late for me. On Thursday night I bowl and on Thursday night I will also pay bills.
Jason will be taking me to the airport Friday morning. In order for him to make it back to Monticello in time to get to work at 7:00 a.m. he will drop me off at the airport around 5:00 a.m. That means getting up early (after bowling & paying bills) and leaving the house no later than 3:15 a.m. This wouldn't be so bad but my flight isn't out until 8:00 a.m. All of this so that when I fly in on February 14th (yes Valentine's Day) Jason and I can celebrate Valentine's Day in Little Rock and spend the night. The very next day I bowl in Maumelle.
Man I am going to be B U S Y!!!!!!
This morning after we got back from grocery shopping Jason and I decided to walk out to our deer stands. Our cat Shadow decided to join us also. My area, which is the closest, looks like a pond. We've had so much rain this past year that I don't know if the ground will dry anytime soon. We then walked to Jason's area. His area is not near as wet as mine. I like walking in the woods this time of year because the trees are baron and you can actually see into the woods. Our property is very pretty. We even had 2 small deer cross the trail in front of us.
I've never seen a cat walk around with their tongue hanging out but by the time we were leaving Jason's area poor Shadow was panting something terrible. Jason picked her up and gave her a rest (Shadow is my cat and he doesn't really like her).
