Special Olympics Unified Sports Day

Special Olympics of Iowa will host the first Unified Sports Day at Cornell College in Mt Vernon on Saturday, April 26. Registration is at 8:45 a.m., and the event lasts until around 3:00 p.m. Cornell College students will partner with Special Olympics Iowa athletes to play basketball, bocce, bowling, volleyball, soccer kicks, floor hockey, bowling and arts and crafts. Lunch and a t-shirt will be provided for everyone. Employees of Hills Bank & Trust Company of Mt. Vernon will serve lunch.

“This is a not a day of competition, but instead a day of social awareness,” said SOIA Director of Training and Outreach Programs, Joe Fernau. “Cornell College students can spend time with Special Olympics Iowa athletes and learn about persons with intellectual disabilities.” After lunch, SOIA athletes will challenge Cornell students to a game of basketball. Closing ceremonies are held between 1:30-2:00 p.m. Each team captain recognizes every SOIA athlete on their team and shares with the crowd what makes each person special.

Date: April 21, 2008

Contacts: Joe Fernau, Director of Training & Outreach, 515-418-2285
Joyce Allard, Director of Communications, 515-986-5520 ext. 109

Who: 100 Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA) athletes from Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Mt. Vernon, the Quad Cities and Vinton partnering with 160 Cornell College students.
What: SOIA Unified Sports is an initiative that brings together SOIA athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (called partners) on sports teams for training and competition.
When: 8:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Saturday, April 26, 2008

Where: Cornell College Small Sports Center, Mt Vernon