Grand Area Special Olympics

Bartlesville Polar Plunge - February 11th

2012-01-09T06:16:00.001-08:00

Grand Area will be holding a Polar Plunge on February 11, 2012 in Downtown Bartlesville. We have many opportunities for you to help. You can help us organize the event, you can be an event sponsor, you can donate a prize, you can make a pledge to a plunger, or you can take the plunge yourself!!!

So, how will we organize something like this in Downtown Bartlesville? We're bringing in an above-ground swimming pool just for the event! No questionable lake water for our plungers.....just nice COLD fresh water to jump into! Did we mention COLD??

100% of the money stays with Special Olympics in Oklahoma!!

Mark your calendars for February 11th so that you don't miss the excitement!

Swimming

2011-11-12T13:56:00.000-08:00

What a fantastic day for a swim!!!! It couldn't have been more perfect! We had the best group of athletes and an exceptional group of volunteers. There are about 200 pictures posted on facebook. Click on the link to the right and it will take you right to them. Don't worry if you're not a facebook member.....these should be open to everyone!

Did you hear??

2011-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's just a week until our fabulous Fall traditional bowling competition in Miami, Oklahoma! We'll be cheering on all of our athletes on October 15th at Playland Lanes in Miami (105 5th Avenue). Registration starts at 9AM!

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Bartlesville Bowling Photos

2011-10-06T05:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of the athletes, coaches, family members and volunteers that came out for our Traditional Bowling event in Bartlesville. Here are some of the photos! For more, please visit our Facebook page at this link.

EKS Day

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

On September 24, 2011, athletes all over the world will celebrate one woman’s legacy by remembering Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of Special Olympics. This year’s slogan is “Play Unified to Live Unified” with the goal to support and promote Unified activities in schools and communities by encouraging others to join Unified Sports teams and creating opportunities for inclusion.

Governor Mary Fallin has signed a proclamation naming September 24, 2011 as “Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day” in Oklahoma. Special Olympics Oklahoma Grand Area and Boomer Sooner Area will recognize EKS Day at their Area Bowling Events on that day.

Visit http://www.eksday.org/ to learn more about Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the activities from around the world honoring her memory.

One week and counting

2011-09-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Only one week until our Fall season kicks off!!! We'll be holding a Traditional Bowling competition at Red Apple Sports Center in Bartlesville, Oklahoma on Saturday, September 24th!

We're looking forward to seeing all of our athletes, coaches and friends next weekend! Registration starts at 9AM! See you there!!

Fall Events

2011-09-15T06:28:00.000-07:00

We have a number of wonderful Fall events scheduled! Please come out and support the Grand Area Athletes!!

Traditional Bowling
Saturday, Sep 24, 2011 9:00 am
Red Apple Sports Center, Bartlesville OK

Traditional Bowling
Saturday, Oct 15, 2011 9:00 am
Playland Lanes, 105 5th Ave NE, Miami OK

Unified Bowling
Saturday, Oct 29, 2011 9:00 am
Red Apple Sports Center, Bartlesville OK

Aquatics
Saturday, Nov 12, 2011 9:00 am
Super Recreation Center, 595 Veterans Pkwy, Claremore

Track & Field Event This Saturday!!!

2011-04-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

It's time once again for the Grand Area Athletics Competition!!!! This yearly events draws nearly 300 area athletes to compete in events including; long jump, high jump, track, softball throw, shot put, and turbojav!!!

Grand Area needs your support!!!! We would love for you to come cheer on our athletes! The events will be held at the Dewey High School at the track! We'll be kicking off the opening ceremonies and announcing our area awards beginning at around 9:30AM. Come spend your morning with us!!

We're also looking for prize donations for Frankie's Olympic Village. This carnival type atmosphere wouldn't be complete without toys and stuffed animals for our athletes to take home!!! If you have new (or nearly new) stuffed animals, or toys and you would like to donate....please contact us at grand@sook.org or bring them with you on the day of the event. Our prize center will be set up in the gymnasium.

Scholarships

2011-03-13T21:09:00.001-07:00

We have a limited number of scholarships available for Grand Area athletes to attend Summer Games. To be considered for scholarships please email the following information to grand@sook.org : Team name, coach name, athlete name, and a list of the fundraising events you have had, or plan to have prior to the packet deadline, and how much money you have raised toward the state games.

Ready, Set......PLUNGE!!!!!

2011-02-27T19:24:00.000-08:00

We had so many great individuals and teams come out to "Take the Plunge" to benefit Special Olympics Oklahoma!!! Here are some photos of the action!!

City Council Member - Team Frigid-dare: Tom Gorman in his hot dog costume started us out with a picture perfect belly flop!

City Council Member - Team Frigid-dare: Erin Tullos, dressed as mustard, followed the hot dog into the water!

City Council Member - Team Frigid-dare: Vic Holcombe was next!!! What's a hot dog without ketchup AND MUSTARD!!!

Shivering Prom Queen - Casey Williams teased the crowd before leaping into the 48 degree water!

Shivering Prom Queen - Michele Blevins did not disappoint with her cannonball!

Shivering Prom Queen (and Bartlesville School Board Member) - Vanessa Drummond was a crowd favorite!! Did you know that the dress she jumped in was a bridesmaid dress from her very own wedding??

Frozen 5th Grader - Reese Hammon tucked up tight for his cannonball!

Frozen 5th Grader - Bryce Anderegg looks a little bit like a frog hopping into the portable pond!

Frozen 5th Grader - Jonah Fenstermaker made the leap with the greatest of ease!

Frozen 5th Grader - Austin Manley (our youngest plunger of the day) chose a foot first approach!

Polar Scout #1 splashed in and then headed for the exit!

Polar Scout #2 smiled as she made the plunge

Polar Scout #3 made it look like a lot of fun

Polar Scout #4 was hopefully trying to do a belly flop that ended up being more of a dive....with a three foot pool, the angle of her approach was a bit scary!

Chevron Phillips came out with an awesome four person team. Plunger #1 stripped off his red chemical safety suit and flopped into the water with style!!

Chevron Phillips plunger #2 appeared to kick back in the invisible lounge chair on his way into the water.

Chevron Phillips Plunger #3 caught some serious air as he flopped his way into the water...all while making a fashion statement.

Chevron Phillips Plunger #4 was in the water before we could even count down!!!

Chris Oldroyd was the chair of the Planning Committee for the Polar Plunge. Since he helped plan it, he didn't want to miss out on the action! From the look on his face, the water must have been cold when it hit his toes!!!

And then there was Gary Waddle......although, we don't recommend doing a full somersault into a 3 foot pool of water....it was a crowd pleaser!!!

Richard Dennis (aka Mr. Dennis) is the principal at Wayside Elementary. Not only did he win the award for oldest plunger....he raised the most money out of any of the individual jumpers. And he jumped with style!!

County Commissioner Mike Dunlap joined in the fun and stuck around for a quick photo opportunity before heading out of the pool.

Mark Reinert from Nowata did our only back flop of the day!!!

Jeremy Holmes ended the event with a belly flop just as spectacular as the one that started us out for the day! Check out the air he got!

What a fantastic event!!! We thank all 24 plungers who braved the 48 degree water and made it such a fun time for all of the spectators!!

Polar Plunge Costumes!

2011-02-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

We had some wonderful and creative costumes at the event!!! Here are just some of the photos!

Polar Scouts

Shivering Prom Queens

BCC Frigid-dares

One of the Frozen 5th Graders

The costume contest was a lot of fun!!

The judges (Jimmy, Virginia, and Lindsay) had a tough time deciding....

But in the end, the prize went to the Shivering Prom Queens!!!

Polar Plunge Morning

2011-02-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

It was an overcast morning, but the set-up crew showed up at 8AM ready to go!!! Many thanks to the members of the Polar Plunge Planning Committee, the Grand Area Management Team, and the State Special Olympics office for their efforts in getting everything set up and ready for the first plunger!!!

The truck was loaned to us by Chris Oldroyd. The platform was created by Jim Oldroyd and Mike Hammon. The tents that were used as changing areas were loaned to us by Sunfest!!!

Many thanks to the Bartlesville Fire Department for helping us fill the pool (pond?). Despite flushing the line, the water was still a touch brown....but it didn't dampen any of the fun!!!

2011-02-27T08:09:00.000-08:00

Who is Jumping???

2011-02-25T04:29:00.000-08:00

We're getting a great list of jumpers together!! Not everyone is signed up online yet, but here's the list of the ones that are......

We have SIX teams so far -

BCC Frigid-dares
The BCC stands for Bartlesville City Council! Yes...that's right....This team consists of three of the Bartlesville City Council Members: Erin Tullos, Vic Holcomb and Tom Gorman. You can support them at this link.

Shivering Prom Queens
This group of women, headed by Bartlesville school board member Vanessa Drummond, plan to "take the plunge" wearing prom dresses and tiaras! You won't want to miss this!!! Other team members are Casey Williams and Michele Blevins. But they're looking for YOU to join them if you dare!!! Support them (or sign up for their team) here.

Frozen 5th Graders
The name says it all. This team is a group of local 5th graders that want to jump to support Special Olympics. They're fearless 5th graders who will soon be FROZEN!!!! Headed up by Jonah Fenstermaker and Reese Hammon, they're sure to make a big splash....don't stand too close to the pool if they cannonball their way into the water!! They are also joined by Austin Manley and Bryce Anderegg! You can support them here. If you are a 5th grader and wish to join their team.....ask your parents to sign you up at this link.

***NEW***
Polar Scouts
Welcome to our newest team entry.....the Polar Scouts!! Consisting of 4 members (Larri Castoe, David Castoe, Scott Sullivan, and Lindsay Watkins), this team is sure to jump in and make waves for Special Olympics!!! Please support this great group here.

Doenges Divers
Welcome to another new team entry.....the Doenges Divers!! Consisting of 3 members (Crystal Freeman, Vance Blackwell, and Donnie Carmen). These guys are "driving" hard to support Special Olympics. You can support them here.

Ben Rainey
Team Ben Rainey has entered the event!! Consisting of 1 member so far (Elizabeth Peters), you can support them here.

We also have a lot of individuals who have registered to "TAKE THE PLUNGE"

Chris Oldroyd - Chris has volunteered his time to help us plan this event and now he has agreed to jump. If you want to support him in his jump, click here.

Jeremy Holmes - Jeremy has two kids in the Special Olympics program and is jumping for them! To support him click here.

Justin Copeland - Soccer coach for the Bartlesville boy U11 competitive team....Justin didn't hesitate when we asked him to jump! Support him here.

Gary Waddle - Gary wants to plunge.....he is certainly quite excited about it and has created promotional movie that he has linked out on our facebook event page. (click here to go to the FB page). Click here to support Gary!

Richard Dennis - The newest addition to our plungers! Known as "Mr. Dennis" to the kids at Wayside Elementary, this principal wants to help support Special Olympics by plunging into the icy cold water. Help support him at this link.

Wow!!! We're so excited and thankful for the wonderful support! Please support our plungers either financially or with loud cheering on the day of the event. Or, better yet, sign up here to take the plunge yourself!!!!! Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 26th! You won't want to miss it!!!

Plunge Tips!!!

2011-02-16T04:58:00.000-08:00

· Once you go here to register......check out these great tips for the morning of the event!!!

We have a lot of great plungers registered for the event! City Council and School Board members, a team of 5th graders, some Shivering Prom Queens, and many more! Check them out here!

PLUNGE REMINDERS!!!

Have cash and checks totaled separately and bring with you to the plunge
Bring towel and warm clothing
Invite friends and family to come and watch so you can challenge them to plunge with you next year.
Registration starts at 10:00 and don’t wait to the last second.
Have signed waiver from an adult if under 18 (will have those forms at registration table)

Plunge in for Special Olympics!!!

2011-02-10T19:16:00.002-08:00

We're all buzzing with excitement over the upcoming Polar Plunge!!!! Statistically, it has to be warmer than it was in Bartlesville this morning....but it's still sure to be a cold swim!!!

BRRRRRRRRR...............

We've got some great plungers lined up for the event!!! You've all heard that three of the Bartlesville City Council members (Erin Tullos, Vic Holcombe & Tom Gorman) will be jumping! But, you probably didn't hear that Vanessa Drummond from the Bartlesville School Board has agreed to take the plunge as well. In addition, ConocoPhillips' very own Tracy Harlow will jump!! Several of the local soccer coaches (Justin Copeland & Matt Link) will be jumping. As well as a parent (Jeremy Holmes) of two Special Olympics Athletes in the Bartlesville school district and a 5th grader from Wayside Elementary. But, that's not all.....we had a team from Doenges commit to jump today!!! And there are many more who want to join them!!!

You can keep a tab on our online registrants at the following website:

http://www.firstgiving.com/sook/Event/bartlesvillepolarplunge

Almost $900 has been raised so far online by these individuals. This doesn't include cash donations or the many generous donations from our local sponsors! It's so exciting!!!! Thanks to everyone for their support!!! It's amazing how many people will say "YES" when you ask them to do something like this for such a great cause!!!

If you don't want to take the plunge yourself.......please support one of our plungers.....either financially, or by coming out the morning of the plunge to cheer them on! The event will be held on Saturday, February 26th in front of Two Sister's Pub in downtown Bartlesville. Virginia (one of the two sisters) has agreed to sell her fabulous breakfast burritos that morning, with a percentage of the proceeds going towards our event!!!

You won't want to miss it!!!

Attention Coaches!!!

2011-02-10T19:16:00.001-08:00

Coaches, it is time to think about Spring Athletics competition. Entry deadline is March 11, send to PO Box 411, Bartlesville, 74005. Coach's certification must be current. There are several training sessions available before then. Please see Coach Info under Spring Competition on the State web site www.sook.org

Taking the Plunge!!!

2011-02-06T20:18:00.000-08:00

WOW!!!! We're generating a lot of excitement for our upcoming Polar Plunge. Several people have committed to "taking the plunge", including three of Bartlesville's City Council members. Erin Tullos, Vic Holcomb, and Tom Gorman will be jumping on February 26th to support Special Olympics.

To support them (or others - like Jeremy Holmes - who have set up fundraising pages for this event), please visit the following website:

http://www.firstgiving.com/sook/Event/bartlesvillepolarplunge

Grand Area Special Olympics thanks you for your support!!

Polar Plunge Facts

2011-01-27T04:59:00.000-08:00

POLAR PLUNGE FACTS

Why Plunge? In 2010, More than 685 plungers made the Polar Plunges a huge success with over $148,000 was raised for the 9,500 athletes of Special Olympics Oklahoma.

What is a Polar Plunge? A Polar Plunge is a fundraising challenge made to an individual or group challenging them to flying leap – a leap into the frigid waters in order to raise money for Special Olympics. Each participant collects pledges from family, friends and businesses in the hopes of raising lots of money for the local Program. Then, on a select day, they "take the plunge" in the cold water to benefit Special Olympics.

Who Can Plunge? Anyone can plunge!! Young and old. Only registered plungers will be allowed in the water. A parent or guardian must sign the waiver form if a plunger is under age 18. Attire: Anything but a wetsuit. Shoes are recommended; costumes are encouraged. Remember to bring a towel to dry off!

Participants raise at least $50 in donations from friends, family and co-workers in exchange for jumping into the icy waters in the middle of winter. Each plunger receives a Polar Plunge shirt, plus the chance to win additional prizes for raising more money and For tips on raising money and receiving matching funds from your employer, click here or Don’t want to take the plunge yourself? Donate to a Polar Plunger!

Just Click Here and see all the info on 2011 Polar Plunges:

Just follow the steps to Register online for the Polar Plunge, online registration helps us prepare for the Polar Plunge by letting us know how many plungers to expect; however plungers can still register for the event the day of the plunge. I encourage you to forward the link to your address books.

Statewide Locations for 2011 Polar Plunge Dates

Durant (Choctaw Casino Oasis Pool) - February 5th
Stillwater at Boomer Lake - February 12th
Oklahoma City (White Water Bay) - February 12th
Lawton (Holiday Inn) - February 19th
Pauls Valley (Seth Wadley Ford Dealership) - February 19th
Tahlequah (Arrowhead Resorts on Illinois River) - February 19th
McAlester - February 26th
Broken Arrow (Nienhuis Park) - February 26th
Bartlesville - (Two Sisters Pub Grill) - February 26th

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING SPECIAL OLYMPICS OKLAHOMA!!!

Polar Plunge Fundraising!

2011-01-19T16:45:00.000-08:00

Hey coaches!!!! If you want to know more about how our upcoming Polar Plunge event in Bartlesville can benefit your Special Olympics team....please contact your local SOOK Area Management Team at grand@sook.org.

Also, watch for emails and phone calls from us! We're excited about the event and want to rally our local teams to participate!!!

Polar Plunge!

2010-11-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

Grand Area will be holding a Polar Plunge on February 26, 2011 in Downtown Bartlesville. We have many opportunities for you to help. You can help us organize the event, you can be an event sponsor, you can donate a prize, you can make a pledge to a plunger, or you can take the plunge yourself!!!

So, how will we organize something like this in Downtown Bartlesville? In the middle of Frank Phillips Blvd to be exact??? We're bringing in an above-ground swimming pool just for the event! No questionable lake water for our plungers.....just nice COLD fresh water to jump into! Did we mention COLD??

100% of the money stays with Special Olympics in Oklahoma!!

We're in the process of working on logos and working on some exciting announcements surrounding the Bartlesville event! Keep watching here, because we'll be sure to let our website readers know first! But until then.....mark your calendars for February 26th so that you don't miss the excitement!

Aquatics Fall 2010

2010-11-11T18:56:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of those who came out for the Fall 2010 Aquatics event! Teams included Home of Hope, Lawton Hammerheads, Okmulgee Sharks, and the Skiatook Bulldogs. Special thanks to our volunteers from the Tau Epsilon Chapter of the Phi Tau Omega Sorority. They did a great job timing the events and cheering on each and every one of the athletes!

See additional photos below, or go to the photo album at the following link to see all of them!

http://s457.photobucket.com/albums/qq292/grandarea/Aquatics%20Fall%202010/

2010-11-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

Unified Bowling - Bartlesville

2010-10-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who came out this morning for Unified Bowling in Bartlesville. We had a total of 34 athletes and partners participate. A great time was had by all. We had the Nowata athletes (assisted by the Nowata National Honors Society) and 4 independent athletes & partners out of Dewey!

We enjoyed doing the hokey pokey

And loved seeing all of the smiling faces!

More pictures are available in the slide show below!

2010-10-30T13:30:00.001-07:00

October 30th - Unified Bowling

2010-10-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

There is only one day left until our Unified Bowling event in Bartlesville! The event starts at 9AM at the Red Apple Bowling Center. We'll see you there!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

2010-10-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who came out last night for the Polar Plunge Kickoff meeting. We now have a committee in place and are looking forward to holding an event in Bartlesville on February 26th. We will keep you informed as we get more details.

Polar Plunge Planning Committee Needed!

2010-10-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Grand Area Special Olympics is looking for individuals to serve as Planning Committee members for our 2011 Polar Plunge. A kick off meeting will be held on Oct. 26 at 6pm in meeting room B of the Bartlesville Public Library. Please come and find out how you can help us put on a Polar Plunge in Bartlesville to benefit our local Special Olympics athletes. Half of the money raised stays in our local area and the remainder stays in Oklahoma!!!

What is a Polar Plunge?
A Polar Plunge is a fundraising challenge made to an individual or group challenging them to dive into a cold body of water in order to raise money for Special Olympics. Each participant collects pledges from family, friends and businesses in the hopes of raising lots of money for the local Program. Then, on a select day, they "take the plunge" in the cold water to benefit Special Olympics.

The Polar Plunge is a very popular special event among Law Enforcement Torch Run volunteers across the country. Approximately 24 Polar Plunges take place every year in 15 U.S. states, helping to raise millions of dollars for Special Olympics Programs. The Polar Plunge is coordinated by the Law Enforcement Torch Run which is an international charity made up of law enforcement personnel who raise money and awareness for Special Olympics.

Some important and COOL facts from 2010's Polar Plunges:
Raised more than $130,000
9th Year of the Plunge
685 Plungers statewide in 2010
More than 30 Law Enforcement agencies statewide participated in the Polar Plunge
Various Law Enforcement vehicles on display

Miami Bowling

2010-10-22T16:49:00.000-07:00

We all had such a great time at the Miami Bowling Event on October 9th. Thanks to the folks at Playland Lanes who let us host our event at their facility.

Thanks to the wonderful volunteers who spent their day helping out.

And thanks to all the athletes, families and coaches that made the event a success! Here are a few photos from the event!

2010-10-22T16:40:00.001-07:00

Thanks

2010-10-10T16:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who came out for the bowling event in Miami! It was a great day. We had over 80 athletes and what looked like record high scores for some of them!!! Here's a link to the photos that were taken.....hopefully we got all of you in them! We'll get them posted all nice and fancy to the website soon!

http://s457.photobucket.com/albums/qq292/grandarea/Miami%20Bowling%20Fall%202010/

Unified Bowling - Entry Deadline Approaching!

2010-10-08T16:10:00.000-07:00

The entry deadline for Unified Bowling in Bartlesville is coming up soon. The competition is scheduled for Oct 30th at the Red Apple Bowling Alley.

Please send entries to Jim Oldroyd, PO Box 411, Bartlesville, OK 74005

One more day!!!!

2010-10-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

There is only one day left until our Traditional Bowling event in Miami! The event starts at 9AM at the Playland Lanes. We'll see you there!

Area Management Team - Changes

2010-09-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

We have had some changes to our Area Management Team over the past several months. We are sad to announce that Tommy Strate has stepped down as Area Director due to schedule conflicts. Although we will miss Tommy in this role, we are thrilled that he is staying on as our area Fundraising Chair.

Thanks Tommy for everything you have done!!

Tracy Hammon has agreed to take over as the Area Director, so look for her at the various upcoming events. Tracy has been the Training Chair for Grand Area for the past several years and has gotten to know many of the coaches through these training sessions.

Tracy is looking forward to this new role and welcomes feedback as to what you would like to see in your area program! You can email her at: grand@sook.org

We are so sad to be losing Shelley and Larry Howell from our Management Team. They will be transferring jobs to Houston and no longer able to fulfill their roles on the team. Can you believe that we don't seem to have a picture of them?....must be because of their tireless efforts behind the scenes. Larry was our Finance Chair and Shelley was our PR/Education Chair. We will miss them both and are thankful for all of their support. Good luck in your new endeavors!

Luckily we still have the outstanding support of our Competition Chair, Jim Oldroyd and our Volunteer Chair, Mel Jeffery. These two do an amazing job for our area and can't be thanked enough. Their hard work showed at our bowling event last weekend.

And we would be remiss to not include a special mention to Carolyn Oldroyd. Although she's not a "formal" member of the management team, we couldn't do it without her!

But all of the changes officially leave 4 of us on an 9 person management team.

So....we're seeking volunteers!!!

If you are interested in being on the Management Team for Grand Area Special Olympics, please let us know. We have five positions available to choose from:

PR/Education Chair - Contact local media regarding events & promote Special Olympics
Training Chair - Coordinate training clinics for our area coaches
Finance Chair - Track spending and budgets...all that money stuff!
Outreach Chair - Coordinate efforts to increase athlete participation in the program
Family Chair - Develop a program for athlete's family members

That's just a quick overview of the positions that we have available. We'd be happy to send you more details. Just contact us at grand@sook.org

Thanks!

2010-09-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

What a great event we had this morning! Thanks to each and every one of the volunteers who came out to support us at our Traditional Bowling event in Bartlesville. Special thanks to the Gap employees and the National Honors Society for turning out in force.

Thanks to Red Apple Bowling for allowing Special Olympics to rent their facilities and providing us with excellent hospitality. I really appreciated being able to climb around behind the pins to get some action shots of the athletes! Here's a peak at what it looks like behind the lanes!

Thanks to all of the athletes, coaches, and their friends & families for making it such a spectacular morning. Make sure to check out all of the pictures in the slideshow below!

2010-09-25T15:52:00.001-07:00

Upcoming Fall Events

2010-09-09T19:32:00.001-07:00

We hope that all of our athletes, coaches, families and friends enjoyed the summer. We're excited to be kicking off the Fall Season in Grand Area with a whole bunch of wonderful events!

Our Fall Competition schedule is:

Sep 25th Traditional Bowling in Bartlesville

Oct 9th Traditional Bowling in Miami

Oct 30th Unified Bowling in Bartlesville

Nov 6th Aquatics in Claremore.

More details about each event can be found on the Special Olympics of Oklahoma website. We can't wait to see everyone!

Miscellaneous Photos from Spring 2010 Athletic Event

2010-06-30T20:25:00.002-07:00

Track Photos #2

2010-06-30T20:25:00.001-07:00

Track Photos #1

2010-06-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Wheelchair Track Events

2010-04-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Random Photos - Softball

2010-04-23T19:58:00.001-07:00

We're sorry it's taking long to get all of the photos from the Athletics event posted. We just got so many great photos....it's taking a while to get them all organized. Scroll down to see everything we have uploaded so far. Make sure to click on "older posts" or the links on the right hand side to see anything that might have rolled off of this page!

Softball Throw

2010-04-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

TurboJav

2010-04-23T19:49:00.001-07:00

Long Jump

2010-04-20T04:36:00.001-07:00

High Jump

2010-04-17T20:06:00.001-07:00

Opening Ceremonies

2010-04-17T19:50:00.001-07:00

Important Coaches Notice!!!

2010-04-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

COACHES - IMPORTANT! The new 2010-2013 ATHLETE MEDICAL/RELEASE is now online. Please send the new form home with athletes before the end of school, so families can get them completed by the start of the school year. These new FORMS will be required for Area Bowling competitions in the Fall. The current medical/release will not be allowed.

http://www.specialolympicsoklahoma.org/Pdf/AthleteMedical2010_2013.pdf

2010 Family of the Year

2010-04-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Family of the Year is the Jessica Spears family from Barnsdall. This family has been involved in Special Olympics for some 16 years and has committed countless hours to fundraising, assisting, cheering and chaperoning for our athletes at sports competitions in the Grand Area and Stillwater. Let’s give them a big hand! Congrats!!!

2010 Area Spirit Award

2010-04-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

Our 2010 Area Spirit Award goes to Sharon Barber from the Fountain House Group Home in Vinita. Sharon has been attending Special Olympics since its beginning in 1968 in Chicago. She attended the first Summer Games in Oklahoma in Edmond and has continued her commitment to sports and sportsmanship for the last 40 years. She has exhibited a positive attitude and enthusiastic spirit in her competitions and in her life, embodying the essence of the Spirit Award. Congrats Sharon!!!

2010 Volunteer of the Year

2010-04-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

Let’s give a big hand to our 2010 Volunteer of the Year from Help Works in Pawhuska…Clifford Mills! Clifford has been involved in Special Olympics for 20 years and has provided a positive role model for the athletes of his team, has used his van to carry athletes and equipment to sports competitions everywhere and provided coaching and counseling to the athletes of his team. Congrats Clifford!

2010 Coach of the Year

2010-04-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our 2010 Area Coach of the Year…..Sandy Bliss!!! Sandy commits a great deal of professional and personal time in providing training and leadership to develop positive attitudes, good sportsmanship, and respect for others in their athletes. Sandy organizes and manages training, athletic practice, fundraising, rallies, and attendance at Special Olympic events in Grand Area and Stillwater. She is a dedicated coach and teacher that strongly advocates the benefits of the Special Olympic program and has been Head Coach for 14 years. Let’s give a big hand to our 2010 Coach of the Year from Bartlesville Public Schools!

2010 Athlete of the Year

2010-04-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Christopher Woodvine from Pawhuska, the 2010 Grand Area Athlete of the Year Award winner. This young man has placed sports competition high in his priorities. Christopher participates in the electric wheelchair races. He also spends his time helping friends and neighbors understand and use home computers. He has a gold medal in every event he has entered since he was 7 years old. He says that Special Olympics gives him great feelings and a place to belong. Congratulations Christopher!

Event Photos - A sneak peek

2010-03-28T20:05:00.001-07:00

We're still busy organizing all of the photos that were taken at the event, but until then.....here are a couple of our favorites! Enjoy!

Congrats Athletes!

2010-03-27T16:10:00.000-07:00

We had approximately 270 athletes entered in our competition this year representing 22 teams. Among them:

Team Tyson - Wyandotte
Home of Hope – Vinita
Miami School Dream Team
Fountain House Group Home – Vinita
Dewey School
Blue Storm – Vinita
Locust Grove Pirates
Help Support Team - Pawhuska
ARC Group Home – Bartlesville
Grove Ridgerunners
Bartlesville Schools
Fairland Owls
Pawhuska School
Jay Middle School
Nowata Ironmen
Jay High School
Chelsea School
Sequoyah Enterprises
Hominy Bucks
Team DCFH,Delaware Cnty
Friendship Home – Jay
Wyandotte Bears
Stevens Enterprises

Everyone did such a fantastic job! Watch this blog for pictures from the various events!

Track & Field Events

2010-03-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

We are looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the Spring Athletics competition!!! It is always such a fun event. We will post pictures after the event!

Swimming Event on Saturday

2010-02-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

As a reminder, Grand Area Special Olympics is holding its annual swimming competition on Saturday, February 20th in Claremore. Hope to see you all there!

Thanks John!

2010-02-16T09:28:00.001-08:00

Many thanks to John Seals, who conducted an athletics training for our area coaches on February 10th! We appreciate it!

Upcoming Events

2010-01-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

We have a lot of great upcoming events for Grand Area Special Olympics!!!

February 10th:

Athletics training 6-8pm Bartlesville library
John Seals from the State Special Olympics office will be driving up to conduct the training this year. Thanks John!
To register, please email: grand@sook.org

February 20th:

Swimming Competition
9AM at the Claremore Recreation Center

March 27th:

Athletics Competition
9AM at the Dewey High School Track

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-30T08:17:00.001-08:00

The Grand Area Special Olympics would like to wish all of our athletes, coaches, volunteers, families, and friends a safe and happy holiday season! We are looking forward to a fun-filled 2010!

Bartlesville Public Schools Special Olympics Fundraiser

2009-11-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

The Bartlesville Public Schools Special Olympics Team is sponsoring a benefit bingo night at the American Legion, 501 NE Washington Boulevard. The fundraiser will be held November 14th starting with an early bird session at 6:30PM and regular bingo at 7PM. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Proceeds benefit Bartlesville schools special needs athletes by paying event fees, transportation, food and lodging for participation in the Olympic events and practice throughout the year and replacing uniforms and equipment.

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Would you like your Special Olympics Team Fundraiser or other announcements listed on the Grand Area website? Please email details to: grand@sook.org

Unified Bowling

2009-10-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all of the athletes who competed in our Unified Bowling Competition on October 24th at Red Apple Bowling! And a big thank you to all of our volunteers and sponsors! Thanks for making it such a great event!

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2009-10-01T10:55:00.001-07:00

Bowling Competition

2009-09-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

Traditional bowling in Bartlesville at the Red Apple Sports Center will be Sep 26 at 9am. Entry deadline for this competition is Sep 14.

Traditional bowling in Miami at Playland Lanes will be Oct 10 at 9am. Entry deadline is Sep 26.

Unified bowling in Bartlesville at the Red Apple Sports Center will be Oct 24. Entry deadline is Oct 10.

There is a $5 entry fee for each bowler being entered. All entries should be mailed to Jim Oldroyd at PO Box 411, Bartlesville, 74005. If you have questions you can contact Jim at 918-333-1333.

Athletes can enter both traditional and unified competition at both Area and State level. The $5 entry fee must be paid for each competition entered.

Coming Soon!

2009-09-12T19:06:00.001-07:00

We have an active Fall season coming up for Grand Area Special Olympics. Watch this blog....we'll be posting all the information soon!

Summer Games

2009-05-10T09:39:00.001-07:00

The 2009 State Summer Games are rapidly approaching! Games will be held May 13-15th in Stillwater, Oklahoma on the Oklahoma State University Campus.

Grand Area wants to recognize all of the athletes from our area that will be heading down to compete in the games and wish you all good luck! We hope that you have great weather and an excellent time participating in the events!

For those in Bartlesville, 29 athletes from the Bartlesville Public School District will receive an official sendoff as they make their way to the summer games on Wednesday morning. The event is due to begin at 7 a.m. in front of the main Bartlesville High School building and everyone is invited to attend. More details can be found at this link.

Is your school/organization having a special send-off event? Please email us at grand@sook.org and we will post details on this website!!!

Good Luck to all of our athletes!!!!

In memory of Robin Higbee

2009-04-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

With sadness, we announce that Robin Higbee passed away on Saturday, April 4th. Robin was involved with Special Olympics for a number of years. She was with ARC in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She will be missed by all who knew her.

Event Photos

2009-04-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed....we have uploaded a lot of photos on the website. Make sure to check older posts, because some of the photos have moved onto the second page! If you want to see everything from the event, click on the following link:

http://s457.photobucket.com/albums/qq292/grandarea/Athletics%20Spring%202009/?albumview=slideshow&track=share_email_album_view_click

Congrats again to Jim Oldroyd....our Grand Area Volunteer of the Year!

Long Jump

2009-04-04T20:52:00.001-07:00

Track Photos #4

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Track Photos #3

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Track Photos #2

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Track Photos #1

2009-04-04T20:17:00.001-07:00

Frankie's Olympic Village

2009-04-04T20:09:00.001-07:00

Softball Throw and Turbo Jav

2009-04-04T17:46:00.001-07:00

High Jump 4'3"

2009-04-04T17:36:00.001-07:00

Group Photos

2009-04-04T17:08:00.001-07:00

Volunteer of the Year

2009-04-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jim Oldroyd for being named the Grand Area "Volunteer of the Year". Jim is truly deserving of this award, as he has done so much for our area chapter over the past years! Congrats Jim!

Athletics Competition

2009-04-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

It was a bit windy, but otherwise a fantastic day for the Grand Area Athletics Competition! Thank you to all of the coaches, athletes, families and volunteers that showed up for the event.

We started out the morning with a great opening ceremony! One of Dewey's police officers brought his police car down to the event and with his lights going, escorted cub scout troop 110 down to the west end of the track for the raising of the flag!

Our day ended around 2PM with our last athlete, Amanda, competing in the 800 meter run. She did fantastic!

Thanks again to all of you who came out to support our event! There are far too many of you to list, but we truly appreciate all of your hard work and contributions!

Keep an eye on this website. We will be posting more pictures from the competition as we are able to get them uploaded!

In memory of Nora King

2009-04-03T19:45:00.000-07:00

It is with sadness that we announce that Special Olympics Athlete, Nora King, passed away on Monday, March 30th.

Nora King has participated in Special Olympics for 9 years. She has participated in the manual wheelchair events, electric wheelchair events (straight and slalom) and softball throw. She has received 16 medals and 32 ribbons throughout the years. Most of her medals are gold and silver; most ribbons were 1st and 2nd place. Nora loved competing. She usually was squealing with delight as she went down the track. She always asked if she could put her electric chair in 5th gear(the highest speed) so she could “smoke” the competition. She was quick to congratulate or encourage her competitors and teammates.

Nora will be greatly missed by her teammates and coaches. We will observe a moment of silence for Nora during the opening ceremonies for the athletic competition tomorrow morning.

Athletics Competition Reminder

2009-04-03T05:41:00.001-07:00

Don't forget! Tomorrow (April 4th) is the date of the Grand Area Athletics Competition. The weather forecast is for mid-70 degree temperatures, which is much better than the 6 inches of snow we had last weekend!

We're looking forward to an exciting competition and can't wait to see everyone there!

Athletics Event Rescheduled

2009-03-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

EVENT RESCHEDULED!!!!!

Due to the winter weather watch and cold temperatures predicted for this weekend, the Grand Area Athletics event has been rescheduled!

There will be NO event on Saturday, March 28th!

The event has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 4th at Dewey High School!

Frankie's Olympic Village

2009-03-21T06:13:00.000-07:00

To honor the memory of Frankie Thomas and her dedication to supporting the Grand Area Special Olympics, the Olympic Village at the Track & Field events next week is being named:

"Frankie's Olympic Village"

There are new and exciting games this year and lots of great prizes! Many thanks to our sponsors for donating so generously to our Olympic Village!

Don't forget....the athletics competition is in one week (March 28th). We're looking forward to seeing you all there!

Upcoming Athletics Event

2009-03-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

We have a total of 22 teams and 303 athletes registered for our upcoming Athletics event on March 28th in Dewey Oklahoma. The athletes range in age from 8 to 76 years old!!!

The Dewey parent support group will have a concession stand at the event to sell snacks and beverages. The Bartlesville Pilot Club will provide a free snack bag for each athlete.

The Olympic Village will be even more fun this year! Athletes will have the opportunity to win some neat prizes!

Stay tuned to this website for more information and pictures from the event!

Saint Patrick's Day 5K

2009-03-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

Looking for something to do next weekend? Come on out and run or walk the Saint Patrick's Day 5k in Tulsa to benefit Special Olympics Oklahoma.

Saturday, March 14th
27th Annual
St. Patrick’s 5K Run

More details can be found at: http://www.sook.org/Fund_StPat5K.html

Aquatics February 2009

2009-03-01T20:08:00.001-08:00

Athletics Training

2009-02-23T06:51:00.000-08:00

There is an upcoming Coaches Training for Athletics. It will be held on Saturday, February 28th, at 9AM at the Bartlesville Public Library. If you have not yet registered for this training and would like to attend, please call Tracy at (918) 333-5352 or send an email to grand@sook.org

Aquatics Competition

2009-02-18T09:42:00.000-08:00

The Grand Area Aquatics competition will be held on Saturday, February 21st! Details are below. We hope to see everyone there this weekend!

Date: February 21, 2009
Registration: 12:00 pm
Location: Claremore Super Rec
595 Veterans PKWY
Claremore, OK

Upcoming Aquatics Competition

2009-01-29T07:19:00.000-08:00

Grand Area wants to announce our upcoming aquatics competition!

It will be Sat, Feb 21 at 9am at the Claremore Super Rec Center at 595 Veterans Pkwy in Claremore.

Deadline for entries is Feb 4th and should be mailed to Jim Oldroyd at PO Box 411, Bartlesville, OK 74005.

Questions can be emailed to grand@sook.org

See you there!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

Grand Area Special Olympics wants to wish all of our athletes, coaches, volunteers, families and friends a happy and safe holiday season!

We look forward to a fantastic 2009. There are several events to start the year off with, including a swimming competition as well as an athletics competition. More details on these events will be posted soon!

In addition, we will start featuring some of our athletes, volunteers and coaches on this website. Do you know a person we should feature? Please send recommendations to grand@sook.org

Happy Holidays!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we want to take the time to wish our athletes, coaches, families and friends a Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo Request

2008-10-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

We would love to put some photos of our area athletes in their Halloween costumes on our blog. If you have a photo you would like to share with everyone, please email it to grand@sook.org

Thanks!!!

Bowling in Miami

2008-10-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

Come join us on Saturday, October 25th for the Grand Area Traditional Bowling Competition. We'll see you there!

More details can be found on the Special Olympics Oklahoma website (link on the right hand side of this page)

Date: October 25, 2008
Registration: 9:00 am
Location: Playland Lanes
105 5th Ave NE
Miami, OK

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Bowling Photos

2008-10-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to those who came out for the September 27th Bowling event in Bartlesville. A great time was had by all!

With Sadness.....

2008-09-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

One of our Area Management Team (AMT) members in the Grand Area has passed away. Frankie Thomas has served on the AMT for more than 17 years. Frankie has been battling cancer for over a year now and passed away Saturday afternoon. We will all miss her very much. Frankie had asked that in lieu of flowers that donations be made to Special Olympics Oklahoma Grand Area and/or the Bartlesville Kiddie Park. A memorial service will be held October 2nd at 2:00pm at Oakpark Methodist Church, 601 Brentwood, Bartlesville, OK.

BOWLING!!! September 27th

2008-09-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

On September 27th, the Grand Area Special Olympics will host a bowling competition in Bartlesville. The event will be held at the Red Apple Bowling Alley on Highway 75. We are expecting approximately 150 athletes to attend.

8:00 AM - Doors open

8:30 AM - Registration

9:30 AM - Bowling Begins

We'll see you there!!!!

If you read this blog.......

2008-09-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

If you are a follower of this blog, please make sure to fill out the survey on the right hand side of the page. This will allow us to know who we have currently reading the site (and who we need to reach out to!). In addition, it will let us gear some of the announcements specifically towards our readers!

Also, please share this website with other people that are involved in the Grand Area Special Olympics!!! We currently have a link to our site on the main Special Olympics Oklahoma website, but we need your help in spreading the word as well.

Thanks!!!!

Thanks!

2008-09-11T19:10:00.001-07:00

Thanks to those of you who came out for the bocce/horseshoes training on Tuesday night! It was an absolutely beautiful evening to be out in the park. We all had a good time playing a few games of each sport, and even better......we now have several more coaches in the area who are certified. A special thanks to the Bartlesville Parks Department for getting the horseshoe pits all cleaned up for us, and to John Seals from the SOOK State office for joining us!