CHARITIES
Grace Family Church Food Pantry
Helping Hands Network
His Glory Belvidere Mission
Special Olympics
Dear Doc,
On behalf of the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois, please accept our many thanks for your contribution of $1,000.00. Special Olympics Illinois depends on the strong foundation of support and generosity of individual and corporate donors throughout the state. We are grateful for this commitment and loyalty. At the first International Games held in 1968 at Soldier Field in Chicago, 1,000 athletes from two countries competed in two sports, Aquatics and Track & Field. Now, Special Olympics has grown to become a worldwide organization that provides year-round sports training and competition with more than 1.7 million participating athletes from 150 countries. In Illinois alone, nearly 20,000 athletes compete in 19 Olympic style sports at 175 competitions each year. Most importantly, what Special Olympics means to the athletes goes far beyond the thrill of participating in their sport and building friendships. Each day, not only do these courageous individuals train and improve their muscles and motor skills, they build self-confidence and develop social skills that help them lead more fulfilled lives. This is supported by a Yale University study which determined that Special Olympics' athletes perform better in school, have stronger family relationships, make more friends and are more prepared to live and work in their communities than their peers not involved in Special Olympics. Once again, thank you for helping to make such a difference in the lives of Special Olympics athletes. With your continued assistance, we will be reaching out to involve more adults and children with intellectual disabilities who can benefit from sports training and competition.