More pictures at:  www.pbase.com/rpetty.com               2011 John Cassidy Heartland Special Olympic Games at Snow Creek Race Results    Congratulations to all of our athletes!   SPECIAL NOTICE TO MATT KRIPPEL AND MARIKATE BERHARDT FOR THEIR AMAZING TRIPLE GOLD MEDAL PERFORMANCES.    Special thanks to All the Volunteers, Parents and Athletes who make this Special Olympic Race possible.  2011 Results Men's Advanced Division    Donald Ringling   2nd place Silver Medalist in Men's Slalom 3rd place Bronze Medalist in Men's Giant Slalom  3rd place Bronze  Medalist in Men's Downhill     Matt Krippel 1st place Gold Medalist in Men's Downhill  1st place Gold Medalist in Men's Slalom   1st Place Gold Medalist in Men's Giant Slalom       Intermediate Division   MariKate Bernhardt  1st Place Gold Medalist in Women's Downhill 1st  place Gold Medalist in Women's Slalom 1st place Gold Medalist in Women's Giant Slalom     Brian Williams  3nd place Bronze Medalist in Men's Slalom 3rd place Bronze Medalist in Men's Giant Slalom 2nd place Silver Medalist in Men's Downhill    Novice Division   Scott  Walters 4th place Ribbon in Giant Slalom  Congratulations to all Special Olympians for a job well done!
Special Olympic registration information for the 2011 season to be announced. The Special Olympic Race Team competes in Downhill, Slalom and Giant Slalom competition at the Heartland Winter Games at Snow Creek. Special Olympics empowers people with intellectual disabilities to realize their full potential and develop their skills through sports, training and competition. As a result, Special Olympics athletes become fulfilled and productive members of their families and communities. Special Olympics is an experience that is energizing, healthy, skillful, welcoming and joyful. GET INVOLVED Volunteering makes a difference in both your life and the lives of the athletes. We need you. Whether you're coaching an athlete or helping to celebrate a victory you are touching the lives of people who ask only for an opportunity to participate, succeed and grow. Our athletes work hard to overcome the odds, and they can do it-with your help. You can give our athletes a chance to grow and a chance to lead both on and off the ski hill. As a Special Olympic Volunteer, you will be giving back to the community and you will be changing lives forever- including your own.
Pictures from the 2009 J L Cassidy Heartland Games Click Here	Special Olympics: Life-changing With "The Ringer," Bobby and Peter Farrelly's latest comedy, hitting theaters December 23, audiences will enjoy the humor often seen in Farrelly brothers' movies. More importantly, they will see how Special Olympics changed one man's life. It's a story carried out every day in Missouri on and off the playing fields for the athletes and volunteers of Special Olympics. While Special Olympics empowers individuals with mental disabilities to become better physically fit through sports training and competition, Special Olympics is more than just sports. Special Olympics enriches the lives of athletes in countless ways. That's because Special Olympic athletes find friends that last a lifetime, have achievements that make them proud and find a community that embraces them. Succeeding in sports and finding a place to call their own enable Special Olympic athletes to grow physically, socially and emotionally. For volunteers and coaches within Special Olympics, the lines of difference blur and commonalities shine through, leading to a greater understanding and acceptance. Perception and respect extend beyond people with mental disabilities and are critical in the diverse world in which we live. It can't be learned in the classroom or boardroom, only through personal interactions and long-lasting friendships trough the bonds that Special Olympics participants form. In Missouri, more than 14,000 Special Olympics athletes train and compete in 19 sports year-round ranging from track and field to bowling, with the help of more than 17,000 volunteers. I've seen scores of lives changed through the Special Olympics experience. It's a sight worth seeing and an experience worth living. Mark Musso, Jefferson City Missouri President, Special Olympics (copied from the Editorial Section of the Post Dispatch) "Go for the Gold, we keep telling our athletes. But it is the volunteers in Special Olympics who walk away with the gold, richer for the experience." Contact The Gateway Disabled Ski Program at gdspstlouis@yahoo.com 636-477-0716 Volunteer and Support Special Olympics