Special Olympics West Hawaii

Special Olympics West Hawaii athletes and volunteers donned their official shirts and worked Aug. 16 alongside Denny’s Restaurant employees as waiters and greeters to raise funds and awareness for SOWH.

The Project Compassion event was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kona and Denny’s. Corporate sponsors included Great American Self Storage and Sign-a-Rama.

From 4 to 9 p.m., Denny’s donated 100 percent of the tips received, as well as 20 percent of all food and drink sales, raising nearly $1,500 for SOWH. All of these funds will stay in West Hawaii to help pay for uniforms, equipment, transportation, competition, coach training and leadership opportunities for SOWH athletes.

Volunteers had a great time taking orders, serving, greeting customers and chatting with folks about SOWH. All the extra “apprentices” in the service areas turned Denny’s normally smooth and efficient operation into a crazy party scene, but “real” Denny’s employees were extremely gracious and accommodating. Several employees said, “We do this once a month – it’s no problem we’re happy to help!”

SOWH sends a very big mahalo to all the wonderful Denny’s people. It also wanted to thank The Rotary Club of Kona for naming SOWH the Project Compassion recipient for the month of August. Another mahalo goes to Rotarian, SOWH volunteer and head swim coach Holly DeGeal,who got SOWH a spot on the Rotary Club’s meeting agenda this month, where SOWH Area Director Dave Ross, along with athletes Casey Haydon and Adrian Cleintuar, gave a presentation to the Rotary membership. Recognition also goes to Great American Self Storage and Sign-a-Rama for their ongoing support and volunteers.

As always, SOWH appreciates the people at the heart of this program whose year-round efforts and enthusiasm make it work: Ross and his team of SOWH athletes, volunteers, coaches and families.

Please enjoy the following photos, taken by SOWH Volunteer Coordinator KC Strand, during the Project Compassion event. To view the entire album, click here.

Earlier this year, the Editorial Department at West Hawaii Today realized it had an explosive problem — the verbal kind.

In particular, certain co-workers had been dropping the F-bomb every time they got off the phone, had computer problems, or dealt with an unreasonable person or issue. In stressful situations, their vulgar ranting rose.

“Frustration. Joking. We don’t need a reason. We just do it because we want to,” said Kim Eaton, universal desk person and reporter, explaining the swearing. “Perhaps, we were all sailors in another life.”

Editor Reed Flickinger decided to transform the outbursts of foul language into a fundraiser for Special Olympics West Hawaii because “it’s a good cause.”

Now every time a reporter, editor, photographer, page designer, copy editor, visitor or interviewee uses the infamous F-bomb in the newsroom, he or she must pay 25 cents. That money goes into “The F-Bomb Kitty” — a bank sitting on Flickinger’s desk. Carolyn Lucas, reporter and SOWH blog editor, often thanks participants for their expletive and contributing to SOWH. When the kitty is full or deemed “heavy enough,” the money — usually between $10 to $25 — is given to SOWH.

In a June 29 letter addressed to the West Hawaii Today Editorial F-Bombers, SOWH Area Director Dave Ross wrote, “It’s nice to see dirty words make for happy things. Your stress-induced cursing is a great help so we can carry out the mission of Special Olympics Hawaii: to provide year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Our program helps athletes to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skill and friendship with fellow athletes, families and the community.”

“Oddly enough we frown on our athletes dropping the F-Bombs on the field. When they do, they get to run laps and do push-ups. But your zingers get us a shiny quarter! Sweet,” Ross’ letter stated. “Your support honors their accomplishments and encourages the efforts of our dedicated volunteers. On behalf of the athletes, families and volunteers who partipate in SOWH events throughout the year, thank you for your continued support. Remember to let it all out when those deadlines come crashing down.”

Special Olympics West Hawaii thanks St. Michael’s Council 13227 of the Knights of Columbus for its generous donation of $100.

“Both this council and the worldwide Knights of Columbus are strong supporters of Special Olympics,” said Steve Lopez, SOWH soccer and softball coach. “They donate money and time to Special Olympics as one of the preferred organizations to support.”

By making gifts like this one to SOWH, St. Michael’s Council 13227 of the Knights of Columbus is part of a movement that has transformed nearly 3 million lives around the world. Such donations make it possible for SOWH to bring hope, joy and opportunity to people who are unfortunately sometimes overlooked by society and vastly underestimated by their peers.

Donations allow SOWH to train skilled and compassionate coaches, rent practice and event space, and buy equipment for athletes. Every dollar given helps SOWH bring a dream to life.

The well prepared West Hawaii Sharks swim team is looking forward to a great start of the Summer Games, following the successful Special Olympics Weinberg Neighbor Island Regional Swim Meet on Maui April 14, said Coach Holly DeGeal.

The Summer Games are the culminating statewide events for the Spring Season. More than 1,000 talented athletes and unified partners, guided by their coaches, compete at this Olympic-style competition on Oahu. Roughly 2,500 volunteers will donated their time during this three-day contest in late May.

On behalf of the West Hawaii Sharks swim team, parents, chaperones and coaches, DeGeal recently thanked participants for their overwhelming support.

“The Special Olympics Weinberg Neighbor Island Regional Swim Meet would not have been possible without your kokua,” she said.

Have something to say about this swim meet? Want to share a story, photo, inspirational thought, or accomplishment? Talk story with Carolyn Lucas, SOWH blog editor. E-mail her at specialolympics.westhawaii@gmail.com.

Special Olympics West Hawaii thanks the many people — individuals, law enforcement officers, businesses, organizations, sponsors and local media — who made our annual Fueling Dreams fundraiser at the Queen Kaahumanu Tesoro station a huge success.

Because of your extraordinary efforts, generousity and pure aloha, $4,121.73 was raised in two days. All of the raised money will stay in West Hawaii. It will be used to help our athletes attend competitions on Maui and Oahu, as well as pay for sports equipment and uniforms.

Monetary gains such as this also help Special Olympics West Hawaii fulfill its purpose of providing year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. By participating in such sports, physical fitness and healthcare education programs, athletes increase self-confidence and social skills, improve physical and motor skills, and have better success in leading more productive and independent lives.

We would like to give a special kudos to the Hawaii Police Department, U.S. Customs, Tesoro Hawaii, Knights of Columbus, and West Hawaii Today. You rock!

Also, thanks to Hawaii247.org and KonaWeb.com for announcing and sharing the event with the online community.

West Hawaii Today reporter Erin Miller wrote a fantastic article about the Fueling Dreams fundraiser, which was published April 3 and can be viewed on the newspaper’s Web site. Here’s an excerpt:

The smiles on athletes’ faces as they play their hearts out and the high-fives afterward, no matter the final score — those rewards are the driving force that keep volunteers like Walter Ah Mow at events like the Fueling Dreams fundraiser for Special Olympics that ends Friday afternoon.

“To see their faces, no words can explain it,” Ah Mow said.

Ah Mow, a detective, was one of several police officers and other volunteers who spent about six hours on Thursday turning the self-serve Queen Kaahumanu Tesoro station into a full-service experience. The change was done at no charge, but other Special Olympics volunteers, athletes and their families were standing by to talk more about the program and ask for donations.

Congratulations to all for a job well done. Mahalo for fueling dreams.

Please enjoy the following photos, taken by SOWH volunteer coordinator KC Strand, at this year’s event. To see the entire album, click here.

“How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it.”
— George Elliston

Special Olympics West Hawaii would like to thank all the local businesses, groups and individuals for their generousity in 2008. The commitment from our supporters help our year-round program of sports training and competitions for people with intellectual disabilities. The time, effort and donations they gave are sincerely appreciated.

Each year, SOWH continues to advance its mission through our programs and opportunities. Our participants develop improved physical fitness and motor skills. They gain a greater self-confidence and positive self-image. Boundless courage, enthusiaum, friendship, new abilities and “voice” are gain through our activities. We have seen many lives changed for the better.

This year, SOWH has enjoyed great success and support from the following: Hawaii County Police Department, Pacific Rim Divers, Mona Grams, Safeway, Tesoro, In to Spirit, West Hawaii Today, CocaCola Bottling of Hawaii, Knights of Columbus, KWXX Radio, Hawaii Fire Department, Denny’s Restaurant and Kona International Marketplace.

Mahalo. Garcias. Grazie. Kiitos. Tack Fyrir. Obrigado.