Writing Samples
Project Info
- Created By
Shannon Adams - Client
Special Olympics - Date
2015-2019 - Category
Brand
Project Description
Telling a story to the public can not only help convey the mission of your organization but it can also help persuade the public to be a part of your mission. I’ve lead external communication in previous organizations by authoring blogs, monthly newsletters, annual report collateral, traditional correspondence, scripts, and PSA’s.
01 – Special Olympics Unified Partners Golf in the Sunshine State
Special Olympics Wisconsin athlete Alison Mushett, along with Unified Sports partner and Special Olympics coach Kacey Esser, participated in their first Golf Invitational earlier last month in Florida. At the noted PGA Golf Village in Port St. Lucie, they represented Team Wisconsin in the 17th Annual Special Olympics North American Golf National Championships.
“We were ecstatic to get the opportunity to play in the SONA invite,” Esser said.
Unified Sports® is a program of Special Olympics that combines approximately equal numbers of athletes with and without intellectual disability on sports teams for training and competition. More than 1.2 million people worldwide take part in Unified Sports, breaking down the stereotypes about those with intellectual disabilities through the power of sports.
Esser and Mushett first met when Esser coached volleyball for West Madison Special Olympics. Esser, who has played golf since she was 5, teamed up with Mushett this past summer to teach her the sport.
Then they competed in the State Outdoor Sports Tournament in Waukesha in August, placing second in their respective division.
Finally came the event in Florida. “The highlight of the trip for me was seeing what an amazing group of people that this event brought together,” Esser said. “It was inspiring to see the dedication that the athletes and their partners have to this organization (Special Olympics). I felt so lucky to be a part of it all!”
Esser became involved in Special Olympics by helping her sister coach volleyball in the Madison area. “The athletes’ positivity and excitement that they had at every practice was infectious and I fell in love with coaching!” she said. “I began participating as a Unified partner in the I-TRI Indoor Triathlon the past two years and thought it was a really excellent way to bring athletes and non-athletes together in a fun, competitive environment.”
Mushett and Esser plan to continue playing unified in the future because of their experience in Florida.
”I had a lot of fun golfing on the PGA Golf Course,” Mushett said. “It was fun to compete with athletes from all over. (Playing Unified) is a good way to compete in sports because you have a partner to help you.”
Special Olympics Wisconsin’s next unified event will take place on December 10th as part of the Special Olympics Rivalry Basketball Series where SO Colleges UW-Madison will take on Marquette University. Contact Don Wigington for more information.
02 – Former Green Bay Packers and Law Enforcement raise funds in Inaugural Titletown Showdown Flag Football Tournament benefitting Special Olympics Wisconsin
Green Bay, WI— On the sidelines of historic City Stadium on the morning of October 22nd, a group of Special Olympics athletes from Oshkosh huddled and began to stretch for their approaching game.
That morning, their ragtag flag football team won one game and lost another — but as their third game neared, they weren’t concerned.
“It’s fun to be on a team representing Special Olympics,” said Robert Giessel, Special Olympics Wisconsin athlete. “It makes us appreciate what everyone is doing for us.”
Steps away, dozens of other flag football players caught passes and grunted across the field at City Stadium. Over the course of the day, teams of up to 15 people gathered to raise funds for Special Olympics Wisconsin as part of the first annual Titletown Showdown Flag Football Tournament presented by the Green Bay Packers Give Back.
“Teamwork is just as important off the field. That’s why Green Bay Packers Give Back was proud to be the presenting partner of the Titletown Showdown. Green Bay Packers alumni players, Special Olympics athletes, law enforcement and fans came together for a day of play – illustrating the essence of community. I am honored to be a part of both of these tremendous organizations,” shares Paul Baniel, Vice President of Finance & Administration for the Green Bay Packers and Chairman Emeritus of Special Olympics Wisconsin.
“Along with law enforcement, recreational and competitive teams, the 2016 tournament’s lineup included a unified aspect consisting of athletes with and without intellectual disabilities,” said Matt Harper, Regional Director of Development for Special Olympics Wisconsin.
“It’s a very big initiative to showcase our athletes’ abilities on the field along with everyone else,” said Harper.
Retired New Jersey police officer and co-founding member of the New Jersey Law Enforcement Torch Run, Jim Mckeever, watched the games on the sidelines nearby. McKeever made the trip to Wisconsin to help oversee the first annual Titletown Showdown in hopes it can be just as successful as the Special Olympics New Jersey Snow Bowl flag football tournament. The Snow Bowl is in its 10thyear raising over $450,000, and partners with the New York Giants.
“Wisconsin is the second state to adopt a flag football event for Special Olympics on behalf of the Law Enforcement Torch Run.” said McKeever. “In New Jersey we just completed our tenth anniversary flag football event for Special Olympics and we are thrilled to have Law Enforcement Torch Run Wisconsin aboard now, especially on a historic site.
City Stadium was once home to the Green Bay Packers before the team moved to Lambeau Field in the 1950s. Where former Green Bay Packers called home, it was only fitting to have alumni Green Bay Packers from recent years play side-by-side with Special Olympics athletes on the Packers’ original field.
“It’s a great event for a special cause. Special Olympics is near and dear to the City of Green Bay and just being able to have the opportunity as an alumni to come out and play was a great opportunity for us.” said Tony Fischer, Running Back for the Green Bay Packers from 2002-2005. “I see the tournament getting bigger and bigger.”
03 – Mission of Mercy helps Special Olympics Athletes in Need
About 200 dentists and more than 1,000 volunteers recently transformed the Menard’s Conference Center into an immense dental office, at the eighth annual Mission of Mercy in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on June 17th and 18th.
The Wisconsin Dental Association and WDA Foundation provide free dental care through the Mission of Mercy program. Mission of Mercy, or MoM, is a two-day event that provides free dental care to those who show up, especially those in pain or with infections. During the event, charitable dental care valued at more than $964,000 was provided to 1,064 patients.
The WDA partners with Special Olympics Wisconsin to make sure its athletes with urgent dental needs get help at MoM.
This year 24 Special Olympic athletes and family members received free dental care at MoM. Selected dentists volunteer their time to work with Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Melissa Schoenbrodt, Director of Health Programs at Special Olympics Wisconsin, has been to every MoM event since Special Olympics Wisconsin has started their partnership. “Several parents have told me over the years that their athletes have been in pain for months, so much that it effects them getting a good night’s sleep,” she said. “Others have reported being embarrassed to smile until they get a front tooth repaired or a partial flipper made.”
“Unfortunately people with intellectual disabilities might not be able to communicate their pain as well as others so Healthy Athletes Special Smiles is a way we can flag athletes at state tournaments who have dental issues, and with our partnership with the Wisconsin Dental Association we can get our athletes the help they need, which then leads to an overall healthier lifestyle,” Schoenbrodt said.
Jordan Loper and Waylon Hogenkamp, of Veroqua, are examples. One week before MoM, they were identified as having urgent oral health needs at a Special Smiles event, a dental screening program that is part of Healthy Athletes. The Special Smiles program is supported by Delta Dental of Wisconsin.
Jordan needed to have a front tooth removed and replaced. Waylon had several areas of decay throughout his mouth.
“Jordan and Waylon both said they were in pain,” said Glen Loper who is Jordan’s grandfather, caretaker, and Special Olympics Co-Agency Manager. “For Jordan the importance of a smile can really affect his self-esteem. He’s a good kid and hopefully this can help him have more of a positive outlook not just when playing sports but in overall life. It’s incredible what they do at MoM and Healthy Athletes and I’m really glad they could do this for him.”
Jordan received a new partial denture for his front tooth and Waylon had 5 extractions throughout his mouth, which allowed dentists to fix any infections from the decay. As for Jordan, he just began his softball season and is looking forward to going back to school with a new smile. He hopes this will help him with his confidence and social interaction with other students.
“It’s going to change my life,” Jordan said. “I have a new smile.”
04 – Brevard Banditz Win Softball Gold, Honor Retiring Coaches
After the Brevard Banditz, a Unified team from Florida, took their second straight gold medal in softball at the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Bob Rall and Tonya Snodgrass took off their shoes and laid them on home plate.
“We had set it up that if we were selected to go back, we would leave our cleats to symbolize our retirement, Tonya from coaching and I from being a partner,” Rall said. “We not only went back, we won for the second time.”
The team represented Florida in softball at the games. “We went through pool play and then we beat Indiana 14-9 to put us in the gold medal game,” said Rall, who also is president of Space Coast Runners and whose family also volunteers for the team. “We beat Washington 14-5 to win the gold medal again, which we did the last time in New Jersey in 2014.”
After she left her footwear at the stadium, Snodgrass left a parting message, “It’s been a pleasure coaching this team for the last nine years! I’ve never coached a team with so much love!”