SOMI office works year-round on statewide projects
Chief Program Officer Ann Guzdzial folds shirts for Special Olympians at the Special Olympics Michigan office.
Ann Guzdzial, chief program officer for Special Olympics Michigan, said a lot of people don't know the organization is in Mount Pleasant until they bring thousands of athletes, coaches and volunteers to the Michigan Special Olympics Summer Games each year.
That's because aside from the summer games, 33 staff members at SOMI are hard at work on six other state-level competitions, four district basketball tournaments, a Unified Sports program in Michigan and many other fundraising events.
SOMI hosts 37 county programs, all run by volunteers, the organization oversees. The Young Athletes program, Project Unify program and Healthy Athletes program happen several times throughout the year.
"Project Unify is one of the larger projects we are working on," Guzdzial said. "They are in 162 schools right now, and we're working to be in every county of Michigan by the end of next year."
Project Unify is a statewide program that encourages public schools to integrate special education students into classrooms.
Aside from the summer games, SOMI hosts the State Winter Games in Williamsburg and State Unified Basketball at Western Michigan University in February. In March, there are district basketball tournaments in Mount Pleasant, Northville, Saline and Grand Rapids and the state basketball finals in Rockford.
"Basketball is huge," Guzdzial said. "Leading up to that, we have regional events and area games."
During September and November, there are the State Fall Games, poly hockey, similar to floor hockey, and unified bowling finals. All of SOMI's events take place in different parts of Michigan, splitting into four different districts.
Fundraising
On a mission to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition, SOMI could not operate without fundraising and enthusiastic volunteers. SOMI is a non-profit organization supported almost entirely through corporate funding and individual gifts, so activities can be available at no cost to Michigan athletes and their families.
SOMI's development manager Heather Fox said fundraising is a huge part of what Special Olympics does. The Polar Plunge, a fundraiser where participants pledge funds to jump into frigid water during the winter, raised more than $1.2 million in 2015, through 29 separate plunges in Michigan. Mount Pleasant's Polar Plunge, hosted for the first time at Wayside Central, raised more than $70,000.
The Polar Plunge under the umbrella of Law Enforcement Torch Run events, Special Olympics' largest grassroots fundraiser where officers host several different fundraising events.
"Officers raise money year round for us, through many different avenues," Fox said.
In September, they host Run Week, a 750-mile run from Copper Harbor in Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Sterling Heights.
"They piggyback motor homes, but there is always someone running at a time until they get to Sterling Heights," Fox said. "Meanwhile, there are community runs all over the state."
Officers also put on comedy shows, dodgeball tournaments and "Tip a Cop" events, where they will work in local restaurants, greeting customers and bussing tables for patrons to "tip" them. One-hundred percent of funds raised at these events goes to Special Olympians to help cover the cost of all state tournaments.
Chief executive officer Lois Arnold said SOMI is constantly working on new ways to raise money for the organization's mission.
"When we're not running competitions, we're running fundraising events to pay for the competitions," Arnold said.
History and growth
Michigan was one of Special Olympic's founding delegations. Originally hosted in Kalamazoo at Western Michigan University, the organization's state headquarters was founded in Adrian. In 1973, the summer games moved north to Central Michigan University where it has been ever since. The state headquarters was established at CMU a year later.
The SOMI office at CMU was originally in Rowe Hall and started out with six employees. Through the growth of their programs, they were able to move into their own building on CMU's campus.
Guzdzial said the office tries to keep up with the times, thinking about what Special Olympians might want to participate in and following suit.
"When we started, athletes might have been doing sledding as a winter games event, and now they're doing snowboarding," she said. "The abilities and athletic opportunities we are able to give our athletes (have) grown."
Arnold said SOMI's relationship with the university has been a tremendous asset.
"(CMU) treats us like a department," she said. "Our summer games are their largest summer conference."
For the State Summer Games, the university opens its facilities, like residence halls and dining halls, to Special Olympians and their families.
Along with donating facilities for events, many CMU students and staff members donate their time to volunteer with SOMI. Last year, Greek Life made SOMI their philanthropy during Greek Week, raising more than $30,000 for the organization. Dozens of CMU student athletes and their coaches attend the summer games and are part of the opening ceremony. Recently, the university sold SOMI icons for $1, and raised more than $29,000.
Guzdzial said SOMI is starting to build a relationship with the university's intramural program with "SO College," which unites college students and people with intellectual disabilities. Together, they participate in sports, leadership activities and campus involvement.
"It's a new growth opportunity for us," Guzdzial said. "Getting more coaches, volunteers, support and family members--it makes people want to be part of us."
SOMI's relationship with CMU, its students and a staff working tirelessly all year round are what keeps Special Olympics thriving, but the people on the other end of that relationship get something out of it, too.
"We are able to work with students, which helps us because it provides critical volunteers to run our programs," Arnold said. "It also gives them real-life experience. It's incredible and very supportive."
