Saturday’s Blackbaud Nonprofit of the Match is Special Olympics South Carolina. The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.
Special Olympics is founded on the belief that people with intellectual disabilities can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy, and benefit from participation in individual and team sports. These must be adapted only as necessary to meet the needs of those with mental and physical limitations.
Special Olympics believe that consistent training is indispensable to the development of an individual’s sports skills. In addition, competition among those of equal abilities is the most appropriate means of testing these skills, measuring progress, and providing incentives for personal growth.
This year Special Olympics is celebrating 50 years since their inaugural Olympic Games at Soldier Field in Chicago spearheaded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968. Special Olympics has made great strides in their mission to overcome discrimination over the last 50 years. As the world’s largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities, they’ve served more than 5 million athletes in 172 countries. Stop by the Special Olympics table Saturday night or visit http://so-sc.org/to find out how YOU can take part in the 50th anniversary celebration of inclusion.
