Oakville, Ontario Athlete Heading to Orlando as NBA and Special Olympics Team Up For First-Ever

NBA Cares Special Olympics Unity Sports Basketball Game at NBA All-Star 2012

-- NBA and WNBA Players, Legends, Celebrities and Special Olympics Athletes to

Participate in a Unified Game on Sunday, Feb. 26 --

Toronto, Ontario – Special Olympics athlete Marc Campbell has been selected to participate in the first-ever NBA Cares Special Olympics Unity Sports Basketball Game, which will take place as part of the 2012 NBA All-Star weekend festivities in Orlando.  With support from The Coca-Cola Company, the game will tip off on Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session on Sunday, Feb. 26, and will feature 12 Special Olympics athletes from across the country, along with NBA Legends Clyde Drexler, Chris Mullin, Dikembe Mutombo and Sam Perkins, current WNBA players, and celebrities.  NBA stars Kevin Durant, Kemba Walker and Derrick Williams will also participate in the event.

The exhibition game will combine athletes with and without intellectual disabilities as teammates to showcase the power of Special Olympics’ Unified Sports® program, which helps unite communities and foster an environment of acceptance and inclusion.  In addition, as part of the NBA Cares All-Star Community Caravan, NBA/WNBA legends and players will host a clinic for local Special Olympics athletes at Jam Session immediately following the game. 

Marc has been involved with Special Olympics for over 10 years and lives in Oakville, Ontario.  He graduated from high school four years ago.  Marc is a big supporter of the Toronto Raptors and is a regular visitor at their home court, the Air Canada Centre.  Marc is also an active fundraiser for his basketball team. 

“The NBA is excited to expand our longtime partnership with Special Olympics by hosting the Unity Sports basketball game as part of our NBA All-Star festivities,” said NBA Senior Vice President of Community Relations Todd Jacobson.  “The NBA Cares Special Olympics Unity Sports Basketball Game is about having fun, promoting fitness and bringing people together.”

“We are proud to have this unique opportunity to show the world the incredible talents of our Special Olympics athletes, playing alongside basketball legends from the NBA and WNBA,” said Peter Wheeler, Special Olympics’ Chief Officer of Strategic Properties. “This is another great moment in our long-standing partnership with the NBA and we hope that this Unity Sports basketball game shows NBA fans the power of sports to unite us all.”

NBA Cares Special Olympics Unity Sports Basketball Game roster:

            East                                                    West

            Marc Campbell, ON                            Jesse Burnett, CO

            Keyuana Davis, FL                              Jackie Buxton, OR

            Kerri Gilroy, MA                                   Steve Lynn, OK

            Rickie Kelly, WI                                   Anthony Nunn, MN

            Andre Larry, FL                                   Sean Vigil, UT

Tony Payne, TN                                  Jennifer Wardlow, NC

These 12 Special Olympics athletes and their families will be treated to an unforgettable NBA All-Star experience including dinner with an NBA legend, in-arena recognition at NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, and tickets to the NBA All-Star Game.

The NBA’s global partnership with Special Olympics began more than 30 years ago when the league helped to introduce basketball as a new sport to the organization. The NBA has since provided sponsorship to Special Olympics basketball tournaments, created public service announcements featuring NBA players, and participated in major Special Olympics events. In addition, the NBA's Basketball without Borders program has featured international clinics for Special Olympics athletes in China, Puerto Rico, Russia, France, Greece, Italy, Brazil, Spain, and Mexico.

About NBA Cares

NBA Cares is the league's social responsibility program that builds on the NBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world.  Through this umbrella program, the NBA, its teams and players have donated than $175 million to charity, completed more than 1.8 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 675 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play, in 22 countries and territories on five continents.  In addition, this year the league launched the NBA Cares Community Caravan, a year-round community and fan engagement program, through which the NBA family will reach more than 10,000 schools and community centers and touch the lives of more than 15 million fans.  NBA Cares works with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: KaBOOM!, Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

About Special Olympics Canada

Established in 1969, the Canadian chapter of this international movement is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through sport. Operating year-round in all Canadian provinces and territories except Nunavut, this grassroots movement reaches beyond the sphere of sport to empower individuals, change attitudes, and build communities. From two-year olds enrolled in Active Start to mature adults, there are more than 42,700 children, youth, and adults with an intellectual disability registered in Special Olympics programs across the country, and they are supported by more than 16,400 volunteers, including more than 13,000 trained coaches. For more information, visit www.specialolympics.ca or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@SpecialOCanada).

About Special Olympics Ontario

Special Olympics Ontario 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. Special Olympics Ontario is part of a dynamic world-wide charitable organization dedicated to promoting a more active and better quality of life for people who have an intellectual disability, through their involvement of sport. For more information, please visit www.specialolympicsontario.com

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For media enquiries and for more information, please contact:

Susana Petti

Director, Marketing & Public Relations

Special Olympics Canada

T: 416.927.9050, ext. 4383

E: spetti@specialolympics.ca

C: 416.455.8932

** For interviews during the All-Star weekend, February 25 and 26, please contact Susana by cell, 416.455.8932

**B-roll also available post event

Lynn Miller

Manager, Marketing & Fundraising Services

Special Olympics Ontario

T: 416.447.8326, ext 226

E: lynnm@specialolympicsontario.com

Congratulations to the following athletes who have been identified to advance to the 2012 Provincial Spring Games as members of the Region Three Training Squad. 

Congratulations to the following athletes who have been identified to advance to the 2012 Provincial Spring Games as members of the Region Five Training Squad. 

2012 Provincial Spring Games

Region Three Training Squad

Updated December 2, 2011

Congratulations to the following athletes who have been identified to advance to the 2012 Provincial Spring Games as members of the Region Three Training Squad. 

2012 Provincial Spring Games

Region Five Training Squad

December 2, 2011

Congratulations to the following athletes who have been identified to advance to the 2012 Provincial Spring Games as members of the Region Five Training Squad. 

STAPLES BUSINESS DEPOT ASKS CUSTOMERS TO

    “GIVE A TOONIE.  SHARE A DREAM.”

National Promotion:

On November 5th STAPLES Business Depot will begin its twelfth year hosting the “Give a Toonie. Share a Dream” fundraising campaign. The event will run for 21 days and will end on November 26th.

Given that this is STAPLES 12^th year the campaign the objective is to create new awareness and generate excitement around the promotion.

• Raise public awareness
• Generate positive, accurate media coverage for SOC and STAPLES Business Depot
• Drive traffic to the stores and generate an increase in customer donations
• Increase donations by 10%
• Reinforce STAPLES Business Depot’s “Easy” message
• Reinforce message that STAPLES Business Depot is a proud national sponsor of Special Olympics Canada

Each chapter will keep 75% of the funds raised in their respective provinces to be used towards the continued growth and development of Special Olympics.

As in the past, Special Olympics Ontario is asking local programs to participate in the campaign at STAPLES Business Depot store locations in their communities.  Your participation will help to thank and motivate customers to “Give A Toonie”.   

Local Involvement:

In planning to support “every” store in Ontario, we would like to suggest that store managers be contacted before October 23^rd. From feedback last year, it was suggested communication takes place locally, so that athletes and volunteers feel welcome when visiting the stores. We have asked STAPLES to make three weekends “priority” times for athlete/volunteer involvement. (TBD)

Marketing Materials:

If the promotional items listed below are required please contact Special Olympics Ontario.

• Promotional handouts
• SO buttons
• Posters

If SOO can assist with a special request, please call to discuss!

National Kick-Off Day:      Saturday, November 5th, 2010    

Host An Athlete Day:          To Be Determined.

Store locations:                Attached find a list of STAPLES Business Depot locations and store managers.  Please familiarize yourself with the stores in your community and contact the managers. Introduce yourself and briefly discuss plans to attend their store with Special Olympics athletes on the days that work best for both parties.

SOO Athletes:                   Please recruit approximately four Special Olympics athletes from your club or community to participate at the store events.  Athletes will be asked to wear their Special Olympics track suits, uniforms or t-shirts. 

The STAPLES Business Depot sponsorship with Special Olympics Canada is a

wonderful relationship that benefits every level of the Special Olympics

movement.  Your participation is integral in thanking STAPLES Business Depot

and demonstrates how much Special Olympics Ontario appreciates their

continued and generous support.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Pauline Carey at   

416 447-8326 ext. 237 or email at paulinec@specialolympicsontario.com or myself at ext. 225.

Thank you for your help!

Glenn MacDonell

President & CEO

Special Olympics Ontario

Links for spring games

Here are the website links for the online endorsement forms:

Click Here to go to the Athlete Endorsement by Community Coach Form

Click Here to go to the Athlete Endorsement by Parent/Guardian Form

Below is the link to the online application for all positions. 

Regional Team Manager and Coach Application Form Click Here

Here is the link to the Coach Job Description:

Click here to View the Coach’s Job Description for Provincial Games

Hello Everyone,

A quick news flash to the District: There are a lot of things coming down the pipe this week, including endorsements of selected athletes for Spring Games (which starts at the RCMT level; the communities will receive their endorsement lists quite soon) and a circulation of Regional Team Manager and coach applications (Region 3 has had theirs sent; Region 5's will start on Monday.  Another neat opportunity to be involved at Spring Games is for volunteers to act as a Sport Technical Consultant:

There is an exciting new position for volunteers who are passionate about their sport. Special Olympics Ontario is looking to fill the roles of "Sport Technical Consultant" for each sport included at the Kingston Spring Games. This unique role will see volunteers involved directly in their sport, offering technical expertise to the Games Organizing Committee on such topics as scheduling, competition format, and venue standards.

The complete job description is available at go.specialolympicsontario.ca/sporttechjob. There is an online application form that can be filled out, at go.specialolympicsontario.ca/sporttechapp. The deadline for applications is October 7th.

Please consider this position for the spring sport that you're involved in, and please share this opportunity with any generic sport representatives you may be partnering with. The deadline is quite soon, and applicants will be chosen with enough time for everyone to still apply as a coach if competition is fierce!

Thank you,

Pratima