SO,
What’s Happening? SOTAS Winter News - June 2012
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
2012 ANNUAL SPORTS LUNCH REVIEW
Hi Team What an exciting beginning to the year we have had in Special Olympics. For those who were able to attend the Sports Lunch recently, I am certain you will join me in thanking the organising committee in putting on such a wonderful event and managing to raise over $13,000 and to get along over 113 people to the day. So thank you very much to Fran Eustace, Wendy Kennedy, Terry Rawson, Kathy Rukavina (TOTE) and Kate Wagner (ANZ) for all your support and help on delivering a professional and successful event. I would also like to thank our major sponsors ANZ, The TOTE, 9/11, Cascade and Cricket Tasmania. I appreciate that while numbers were a little down on last year, in the current economic climate this was an excellent achievement as I am aware of over three events already cancelled in this calendar year due to lack of community support - so well done team. Also the luncheon was the selected forum to present the Carol Tanner Memorial Award that had lapsed since 2007 and I was proud to announce that our winners were Lynette Butt and Garry Burnside as the Volunteer and Athlete Awards respectively. It has been a busy time for Lennon who has just completed six ribbon days across the state and I had the pleasure of opening the event at Ulverstone and the enthusiasm from the participants was fantastic. Also a reminder there are two national events later in the year. SOTAS is committed to send four athletes to the Trans Tasman Tournament in Cairns and prepare our youngsters for the 2016 Junior Nationals. At a local level, we had a successful Tenpin Games. Coming up we have the Winter Games and SOTAS planning day scheduled for 24 June 2012 to prepare our strategic plan for 2012-2015. We held our inaugural regional meeting with State Council on Sunday 27 May 2012 at Campbell Town and the AGM was also held in Sydney on Saturday 26 May 2012, so a busy schedule but rewarding one for Special Olympics Tasmania. Kind regards
Peter Flood, Chairman
As mentioned in the Chairman’s message, the Annual Sports Lunch was a really great event and would not have been such a success without the generosity of sponsors, in particular ANZ and those that donated auction and raffle items was quite overwhelming. ANZ also provided volunteers to help set up the room, run the raffles and generally offer assistance wherever required - they were brilliant. Our Master of Ceremonies once again was Mark Thomas from M&M Communications and he was in fine form, as was guest speaker, former race calling legend Bryan Martin - who gave us an interesting insight into the world of horse racing. SOTAS athlete Josh Timbs also spoke about his personal journey with us while Garry Burnside took out the Carol Tanner Athlete of the Year Award and Lynette Butt the Volunteer of the Year Award for 2011 (pictured above with SOTAS Chair Peter Flood). Thanks again Josh and congratulations to Garry and Lynette along with all involved in making the day such a success. Planning now begins for 2013!
COMMUNITY SPORTS LINK UPDATE Our Community Sports Link Program is well and truly underway for 2012 with the Ribbon Day Launch well attended on 10 May 2012 in the South. The official launch was carried out by Minister for Tourism, Veterans Affairs and hospitality - Scott Bacon, and there were many of our SOTAS regular supporters in attendance as well as a group of brilliant volunteers from Abetz Curtis Lawyers and the Clarence Polytechnic. The Ribbon Days were then held in the North and North West of the State the following week, where we moved indoors due to the well known Tasmanian climate and participated across the Term 1 sports theme of Cricket and Football (soccer). Activities were centred around games this time, as the majority of groups have been participating in six weeks of training in the lead up!
“THANK YOU” TO OUR VOLUNTEERS Recently Australia acknowledged volunteers with National Volunteers Week. At SOTAS we decided to send a personalised ‘thank you' to our wonderful committed volunteers and hoped all received this. Your dedication is never taken for granted. We continue to recruit to our ever expanding ‘SO Team’, as we demonstrated in May where we participated in Volunteering Expo’s in Launceston and Hobart. For those interested, check out the new link on our website.
A quick snap shot of the Ribbon Days 308 participants from 45 groups and 52 volunteers over the 2 weeks playing Cricket and Football across 6 events! We always appreciate feedback with regards to our programs and the following is from Katrina Sutton, a teacher at New Town High School. “The Ribbon Day was such a good outing for our boys, thank you so much for your kindness. We had a few boys that are ADHD who we are trying to teach empathy and it worked a treat despite the fact that they were physically more capable. They learnt to give and we are already seeing some impact at school. The usual suspects loved it and as staff we were thrilled to see our old boys. Thank you for a memorable day!”
Pictured - UTAS student speaks with Northern Chairperson Chris Crawford at Launceston UTAS.
Term 2 will see groups participating in Basketball and Bowls across a Skills Day, six weeks training and a Ribbon Day. We look forward to getting stuck into CSL next Term with approximately 500 participants from 50+ groups now registered for 2012!
Pictured - Sharon Featherstone, Southern volunteer committee member, spruiking SOTAS.
MESSAGE FROM THE STATE MANAGER Hi Everyone The winter chill is definitely in the air. How exciting to experience a real seasonal change. Just lovely! A time for evaluating and planning is upon us. It is time to reflect and celebrate what has been achieved in Tasmania and to set in action what we want to achieve up to 2015. It is an exciting time of growth in athlete numbers and partnerships within the community. We cannot do this alone. The 20122015 SOA National Strategy is available online. Thank you to all of the volunteers who have sent in their Police Check renewal forms or copies of their current certificates. Keep them coming. At the end of the year for the 2013 athlete renewals, we will have access to online renewals. Some of the regions are currently planning 'Sign On' days. Your region will be in touch with further details. A shout out to Lyndall Hall who ran a stall for Special Olympics at the Stanley Service Provider Information Day on 24 May 2012. This is a good demonstration of the region actively promoting the local programs.
BOCCE OPEN DAY The opening of the Glenorchy RSL Special Olympics Bocce Courts on 20 May 2012 was blessed with fine weather and good company, with Minister Scott Bacon and Glenorchy Mayor Stuart Slade joining our athletes and officials, Bocce Tasmania and Glenorchy RSL Bocce Club Members in celebrating the day. The President of the Bocce Federation of Tasmania, Andrea Ramondino, gave the official welcome, followed by Minister Bacon with the response given by Special Olympics Tasmania State Development Manager, Alison Mosely. Both Andrea and Alison commented on the success of the collaboration that occurred in completing the project across all forms of Government and their respective organisations. Bocce is played in all three regions across Tasmania, check out the website for local program details.
Stay warm and active. Alison Mosely, State Manager
MAKE SURE YOU PUT THIS DATE IN YOUR DIARY 15 JULY 2012 TASMANIA’S BEST 2YO’S WILL RUN IN THE EVICUS & DANDY PATCH FINALS AT THE TASMANIAN PACING CLUB’S HARNESS RACING MEETING
The evening will be a fundraiser for Special Olympics 8 of Tasmania’s top axemen will compete in a chopping race and hard hitting competition - 4 heats, 2 semi-finals and finals in each event This will be a world class competition led by the one and only David Foster Tickets $10 adults, $5 pensioners
AY
OD T K O BO
For further information - contact the Tasmanian Pacing Club on 6214 4260 or email: taspace@ozemail.com
COMING UP IN THE SOUTH
THE QUIZ NIGHT AND WATCH THIS SPACE FOR A NEW FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE IN THE NORTH THAT WILL BE A WHOLE LOT OF FUN!
2012 SOTAS CALENDAR
MENTOR TRAINING INFORMATION
Do you want to An exciting opportunity has been developed share your skills and experience to help the development
by Special Olympics Australia (SOA) for volunteers to become mentors within the Athlete Leadership Program (ALPs).
The aim of ALPs is to develop the confidence and skills of athletes so that they can represent themselves and their peers, beyond the playing field, in both the organisation and in the wider community.
Mentors play a vital role in all aspects of ALPs. Becoming a mentor is rewarding for a volunteer and enhances their understanding of intellectual disability. A mentor provides Do you want to their time and shares their skills with athletes as they work through ALPs. Training is make a provided to mentors to give them the skills to support athletes. difference to To take part in the ALPs training, you must be the lives of available to attend two training workshops (and Graduation) and submit the application people with form by Wednesday 11 July 2012.
of others?
intellectual disability?
YES??? THEN THIS IS THE ROLE FOR YOU!!!
The training will provide you with the understanding of leadership, the various roles available and skills in public speaking and working on committees. The training dates are as follows: Sunday 29 July 2012 - Introduction to ALPs and Ambassadorship Sunday 2 September 2012 Governance Saturday 10 November 2012 Graduation Night
For more details about any event contact the State Office. To reduce printing and distribution costs to SOTAS, tell us your email address and the next issue of “SO, What’s Happening?” can be delivered directly to your Inbox!
State Office Contact Details Sport & Recreation House 1 Self’s Point Road CORNELIAN BAY TAS 7008 (03) 6228 9321 www.specialolympics.com.au/tas State Manager Alison Mosely Phone: 0428 036 196 alisonm@specialolympics.com.au Corporate Relationship Manager Wendy Kennedy Phone: 0438 100 446 wendyk@specialolympics.com.au Junior Development Coordinator Lennon White Phone: 0428 034 585 lennonw@specialolympics.com.au
For more information and access to training resources look at: http://www.specialolympics.com.au/ index.php/our_work/leadership If you have any questions, please contact: Alison Mosely - 0428 036 196 or alisonm@specialolympics.com.au
THANKS!
14-15 July Winter Games, North 25-26 Aug Bowls State Championships, North West 8-12 Oct Trans Tasman Tournament, Cairns, QLD 10-11 Nov Spring State Games, South 6-10 Dec Junior National Games, Newcastle, NSW
For what’s happening every week - search for “Special Olympics Tasmania”
We would like to thank all who helped contribute to this edition of “SO, What’s Happening?”