Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, we have a $10,000 match running until December 31st for our Annual Appeal!
We are over halfway to our Annual Appeal goal of $55,000, but we need to make the most of every day we have left! With your help, we can reach our goal! Now until the end of the year when you give your donation will be matched, meaning we can get to our goal twice as fast!
Dollar for Dollar match means everygift we receive is worth DOUBLE! Your gift of $100 will become $200!!
Having a job you love? Supportive friends? Hobbies you enjoy? Opportunities to learn? Being active? Attending community events? Eating good food? All of the above?
Here at SOAR, we help people with differing abilities LIVE WELL, whatever that may mean for them. We offer Adult Education classes where our participants can learn new skills. Wellness classes so they can confidently go to the gym. Social nights where they can meet new friends and kick back, relax, and have a good time, or experience something new and exciting like a show at the PAC or WWE Wrestling. We work with youth with and without disabilities to show that we are all more similar than we are different. We offer eight Special Olympics sports where our participants can experience the camaraderie of working together as a team. And for our Fox Valley friends, your favorite childhood memory of going to Camp Onaway? We offer that too.
Chances are, you are close to someone who has a disability, whether it’s your child, sibling, friend, coworker, teammate, classmate, or beyond. You already play an important role in helping them live well. We hope you will consider helping even more people live their best lives by supporting the programs of SOAR. Will you help us reach new heights and meet our Annual Appeal goal of $55,000?
“So what’s the difference between SOAR Special Olympics and Special Olympics Wisconsin?”
If you’ve ever asked this question, you’re not alone. We actually get it a lot! Here’s the short answer:
Special Olympics Wisconsin is essentially the governing body of all Special Olympics programs in the state. They coordinate and oversee tournaments, set regulations for the programs, and help provide structure to Special Olympics programs that are smaller, more rural, or are completely volunteer run.
Each region has it’s own programs, like SOAR, that offer sports to it’s community members. SOAR is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the athletes, teams, coaches, and other volunteers in our program, as well as fully financing the sports.
Here at SOAR we offer the third largest Special Olympics Program in the state! We have 170 athletes that participate in eight sports: Basketball, Softball, T-ball, Bowling, Bocce, Aquatics, Track and Field, and Powerlifting. Right now we are in the middle of our most popular sport, Bowling, and have 120 athletes competing!
“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” -Special Olympian’s Oath
It’s Back to School Season, did you know that SOAR offers programs for youth both during school and after school? Many of our youth programs include students with and without disabilities, providing safe environments that foster understanding and acceptance among all participants. Our youth programs include-
Kidz Klub: a collaborative after-school program for elementary aged kids.
Teen Stop: an after-school peer-to-peer social group for kids in middle school.
TnT: a youth group for Teens and Transitioning youth (ages 13-23) that offers educational, social, and recreational activities.
Activity Days: In-school activities brought to elementary, middle, and high school classrooms around the Fox Cities for free.
K.I.T.E. Kamp: a four-day day camp for youth ages 6-16 held each August.
For more information on our youth programs, contact Lisa McCallister, our awesome Youth Services Manager!
“Lisa does such a great job exposing our students to situations in which we can work on life skills, social skills, and executive function skills.”
-Katrina Bartell, Madison Middle School Appleton
Steven’s Success
Steven* is a young man who typically struggles with anger and bullying others. This year at K.I.T.E Kamp, however, he played games with younger campers, helped campers with more significant needs complete activities, and comforted campers that were scared to do some activities, like exploring a dump truck, by holding their hands and helping them up. When leaders told him he was doing a great job, Steven told them he was surprised he was being so nice to people, but it felt so awesome to help them. Way to go Steven!
All of our programs, including K.I.T.E. Kamp, help kids like Steven enhance skills needed to work in team settings, challenge their thinking, and build on appropriate social skills.
This summer SOAR participants worked hard and played hard with special programs for healthy living and active lifestyles.
This year we have been focusing on expanding fitness opportunities for our participants, and this summer was no exception! Our special activities included Six Parks in Six Weeks, a walking program around the community, Strong Bodies, a strength, flexibility, and balance class with Appleton Park and Rec, Y Fitness, an educational workout class at the YMCA teaching participants workout techniques and about the fitness equipment, Keeping it Cool, a fun, active afternoon of water based activities such as water balloon baseball, S’more Summer Fun, a fun night of outdoor games and foil pack dinners with family and friends, and Riverside Garden Volunteering, where participants weeded gardens, raked debris, helped with planting, and more around the gardens.
We are so proud of all of our participants who (literally) went the extra mile this summer with us. We had so much fun and can’t wait to keep getting stronger together!
“Congrats to the participants who all have really been challenging themselves. They strive to go further, faster, or longer than ever before. They are not afraid to sweat and push their bodies; and, they smile, laugh, and encourage each other all the way”
-Tammy Wittman, WOTFV Americorps Wellness Coordinator
“AmeriCorps is not just for college kids-even those retired can join.” I heard that statement last August at a breakfast gathering sponsored by Weight of the Fox Valley. That remark was the impetus to my involvement with AmeriCorps, Weight of the Fox Valley (WOTFV), and SOAR Fox Cities, and the opening to a gratifying, enlightening, and enjoyable year of service. As my year of service comes to an end, I would like to thank so many of you who have made this one fabulous experience.
Thank you to the staff at SOAR who took their chance on hiring me for this position. All of you have been patient with my questions, supportive of my activities, and willing (mostly) to participate in the work site wellness challenges. ????
Thank you to the Special Olympic athletes and coaches. You were gracious in allowing me the time to present short lessons on healthy nutrition and beverage choices. I love when the athletes show me their water bottles and tease me about drinking soda.
Lastly, thank you to the SOAR participants and their families and caregivers. You have been so welcoming and receptive to me and the various activities I have planned throughout the year. Whether we were walking the mall or the parks, sitting in the bleachers at tournaments, volunteering at Riverview Gardens, or cooking at SOAR, I have enjoyed this time of sharing stories and laughter.
Thank you all for this wonderful year of experiences. You have touched my heart!
Tammy Wittmann
P.S. If you would like to know more about AmeriCorps or WOTFV, don’t hesitate to contact me at SOAR Fox Cities, as I will be continuing my relationship with SOAR as their family program coordinator.
