Author Cynthia Goldberg

Cynthia Goldberg an artist, writer, published author and Special Olympics athlete from Cape Cod. It’s a bit of a drive from where she lives to The Yawkey Sports Training Center in Marlborough, but one day I hope she honors us with a book signing here. 

Hi everyone! I now live independently on my own and see the positives in my life. I enjoy Special Olympics at lot. It keeps me growing and learning through all different sports. It keeps me happy and healthy too. Special Olympics is a dream that came true. It is a blessing that we have talents and strengths. And we all have different ways of facing our different challenges. We are all very special in a lot of ways and I have learned to learn from others with a smile that never leaves my face. I love my life and my support system keeps me growing in the right direction. I do a lot of happy things that keep me happy with good friends. It is an honor to see all the Special Olympics teams. My team is the Cape Cod Waves. Congratulations to all Special Olympics teams!

Something maybe you don’t know about me:
I am now an author of a book, “A Tale of Two Cynthias.” I did all the paintings and poems in the book myself. I love putting colors and words together in different ways. In my book I share from my heart to other people’s hearts. We all learn from each other how special we are. We were all created to be good and to be part of a special world. My artwork is on cards and bookmarks too. You can see them at my website at cynthiagoldberg.com or go into the Market Street Bookshop in Mashpee Commons, Mashpee, MA.

Love, Cynthia Goldberg (Goldie)

Bio-Ball 2013

Special Olympics athlete and blog contributor Amanda Church reflects on her experience playing basketball at our 9th annual Bio-Ball tournament and fundraiser. 

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By Amanda Church

On March 16, 2013, sixteen Special Olympics basketball teams and sixteen biotech and pharmaceutical companies competed in both basketball skills and full-court games at Boston College for Bio-Ball. This event is not only a competition, but also a fundraising event. Each company raises money for Special Olympics Massachusetts. This year all the companies raised a ton of money, and this year they set an all-time record. Special Olympics Massachusetts got a grand total of $107,000. That is pretty awesome.

Some of the skills included a passing drill, three-point shot, and a half-court shot. In the games everyone did great. The Easton Tigers matched up with team Novartis, who are one of the companies that helped raise a lot of money for Special Olympics Massachusetts. Whether we won or lost, we still had fun playing with the company we played with. All the volunteers and staff were very good at making sure that we were all having fun. They were also very good about cheering each team on while they were watching us play. Bio-Ball is a fun event that everyone loves and enjoys and I hope that this event continues year after year, for many more years to come.

Special Smiles

On Monday [3/18], the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services held an event with the theme “Family: A Gift that Makes a Difference.” As part of the event at the Massachusetts State House, the department commissioner presented the 2013 Allen Crocker M.D. Health Services Award to a dear friend of our family – the Special Olympics Movement – and a major general in our dignity revolution – Dr. Steve Perlman. (Read more)

Coach Tara Lonergan

By Amanda Church

Tara Lonergan has been coaching the Special Olympics Massachusetts Easton swim team for over 7 years. Tara loves coaching the Easton All Stars. Tara said, “I love being able to see each one of my athletes grow as a swimmer as well as a person.”

I asked Tara what amazes her most about her athletes. “My athletes have amazing drive and ambition. They are also extremely talented swimmers and kind and caring individuals,” she replied. I also asked Tara, if she had to describe one word that best fits her team, what would it be. Tara said in response, “Family.”

Special Olympics Massachusetts coach Tara Lonergan with her fiance Matt at Summer Games.

All Special Olympics coaches have some challenges, of course. She told me that her “Hardest challenge is ensuring that my athletes are being challenged as individuals, as well as a team.” Tara’s goals for the Easton All Stars is to send two or three athletes to National Games in 2014. She’d also like to recruit more athletes on her team.

I also asked Coach Lonergan what’s the most important thing to remember about coaching Special Olympics. The first thing Tara said, “Is to ensure the athletes in Special Olympics do their best. It does not matter if they come in first or last, all that matters is they tried their very best and to show good sportsmanship.” Tara also is very happy when she hears Easton cheering on their teammates, whether it is at practice or at our swimming qualifier, or at Summer Games at Harvard University.

Outside of Special Olympics, Tara is a graduate from Stonehill College with a degree in teaching. Tara also just got her master’s degree at Bridgewater State University in special education. She currently teaches at the Barnum School in Taunton. She is also very busy planning her summer wedding!  Tara finished our interview by saying, “SOMA helped me realize what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and I am so lucky to have realized my passion.”

Tara is an awesome coach, role model and teacher.  Thank you Tara for all your hard work and dedication.

Weekend Warriors – the Volunteers & Athletes

Lawrence Academy has a cool blog post where they talk about all they put into volunteering for our Winter Games.

The Massachusetts Special Olympic Winter Games were this past weekend and 13 LA students were exhausted and ready for a break by late Sunday afternoon.  They left early on Saturday morning and returned late afternoon, only to make quick change, so 7 of them could attend and volunteer at one of the dinners/dance that evening.  Then they returned again early on Sunday for the final games and medal ceremonies.  Our students were only 13 out of 1200 total volunteers needed to pull off this event where over 2500 athletes participated in basketball, skiing, bowling or floor hockey. Venues included 9 high schools in the Worcester, Auburn and Shewsbury area, Wachusett Mountain, two bowling lanes and Assumption College’s rec center. more

Wheaton College Woman’s Basketball Team: A Champion Partnership

By Amanda Church (Easton Tigers)

Wheaton College Woman’s Basketball Team coached by Melissa Hodgdon has been involved in helping Attleboro based Special Olympics Massachusetts team, Heller’s Angels, for almost 4 years.  Since 2009, their relationship has grown very strong. Melissa and her team help volunteer at Heller’s Angels basketball practices.  In the fall, they also attended their flag football and soccer practices. Wheaton’s Woman’s Basketball team has also helped out with two of Special Olympics biggest fundraisers, and they have pizza parties with them to promote inclusion, fun and social acceptance. 

The relationship goes both ways. During Wheaton’s home games, the Heller’s Angels program gets an opportunity to scrimmage each other during half time. This is awesome because it shows the spectators the relationship that Wheaton has with Special Olympics. We asked Coach Hodgdon what the team enjoys most about volunteering.

Her response was, “They love getting to know the athletes on the Heller’s Angels team as people. Learning about what they like to do, sharing stories with them, and teaching one another life lessons on and off the court.” She also said, “I see myself and our team grow after each time we meet with them.”

Hodgdon and the team say that the experiences they have had with the Special Olympics Massachusetts Heller’s Angels program has been fun. Sometimes college basketball, college academics and campus life can be stressful. But when they are with Heller’s Angels, it provides them a stress free environment.

We asked Coach Hodgdon to share her favorite Special Olympics moment with us. She said, “Every time we get together, it is special. One of our games got cancelled, and Heller’s Angels were supposed to play during half time but unfortunately that was going to be cancelled too. But then one of my students Gabbie DePalo said, ‘Coach, why don’t we play with Heller’s Angels ourselves?’”

Coach Hodgdon thought was a great idea. They also shared their traditional “fired up dance circle.”

“I will never forget it,” said Hodgdon. “I went from frustrated about the cancellation to having a better day than I would have had if we had the game and won it.”

Special Olympics MA would like to thank Coach Hodgdon and Wheaton College for dedicating so much of their time to one of our local programs. It is partnerships like this and volunteers like these girls that make us so successful.

 

An Eagle Scout’s Gift

Eagle Scout Andrew McCourt wanted to make a difference with his Eagle Scout project.  Inspired by his sister, a Special Olympics athlete, McCourt sought to give back to Special Olympics Massachusetts since he and his sister had benefited so much. The following is an interview with McCourt by SOMA Sports Intern Eric Archambault.

E.A.: How long have you been a member of the Scouts?

Andrew McCourt: I joined cub scouts when I was in the second grade, as a wolf scout.

E.A.: Do you participate in any other activities or clubs either at your school or in your local community?

Andrew McCourt: I go to Masconomet Regional High School in Topsfield. I am on the varsity wrestling team in the winter and the football team in the fall.

E.A.: What has been your favorite memory as a member of the Scouts?

Andrew McCourt: My best memories are the two trips that my troop took to West Point, to the annual Scout Jamboree there. I was also very proud to be elected Senior Patrol Leader for my troop this year.

E.A.: When did you start the application process of becoming an Eagle Scout?

Andrew McCourt: August, 2012.

E.A.: Tell me a little bit about the sandwich boards that you have created for SOMA.

Andrew McCourt: They are made of a PVC pipe frame with a whiteboard on one side and a blackboard on the other. SOMA is able to use either whiteboard markers or chalk, depending on what they have available.

“I have learned how to organize and lead a project that involved a large group of people” —Andrew McCourAn Eg

E.A.: Why did you choose to complete your Eagle Scout project for SOMA?

Andrew McCourt: My older sister Elizabeth, age 21, has intellectual disabilities and has been actively involved in SOMA since age 11. She has competed at the world level for figure skating and the national level for swimming. She is also a SOMA Global Messenger. I wanted to do a project that would give back to SOMA since my sister has benefited so greatly.