Dream Ride Benefits State and Local Program

Pictured from left to right: Don Wilhem from Hurley’s Fresh Market; Eric Cushing, VP of Marketing & Development for Special Olympics PA (SOPA); Nick Hurley, owner of Hurley’s Fresh Market; and Sean Harris from Bozzuto’s and the Hometown Foundation.  

Bozzuto’s and the Hometown Foundation underwrite and organize the annual Dream Ride, a multi-state fundraising motorcycle ride that culminates in Connecticut.  Now in its 13th year, Dream Ride raised more than $340,000 for Special Olympics programs in the Northeastern part of the United States last year. SOPA and its Bradford/Sullivan local program received more than $12,500 as a result.  The PA Leg of the Dream Ride is sponsored by Hurley’s Fresh Market in Towanda.  The 2013 Dream Ride is set for Sunday, August 25th. For more information, visit www.dreamride.org.

2013 Winter Games

More than 325 athletes and 135 coaches traveled to the 2013 Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) Winter Games in Johnstown, PA from February 10th - 12th. This 37th Annual statewide competition returned to the Johnstown area for the 12th consecutive year and featured competition in alpine and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, speed skating and figure skating.  Presenting sponsor Lee Initiatives, Inc.; Sheetz, GEICO; UPMC; The Palumbo Charitable Trust; and The Jack Buncher Foundation are the premier sponsors of this year’s event.  In addition, Student Transportation of America (STA) provides transportation support for SOPA events across the state.

Lee Initiatives, Inc., Sheetz, and STA presented SOPA with checks during its 2013 Winter Games VIP Reception.

Lee Initiatives, Inc. $15,000 Presenting Sponsor Check Presentation

Pictured from left to right: SOPA - Butler County athletes Jim Leonard and Jackie Abel; Robert Barrett, Lee Initiatives Board of Directors; SOPA Board Chairman Tony Gillespie; and SOPA President and CEO Matt Aaron.

Sheetz, Inc. $181,000 Statewide Partner Check Presentation

Pictured from left to right: SOPA - Butler County athletes Jim Leonard and Jackie Abel; SOPA Board Chairman Tony Gillespie; Board Member and VP of IT for Sheetz, Inc. Jim Wenner; and Director of Regional Operations for Sheetz, Inc., Adam Sheetz.

Student Transportation of America $25,000 Check Presentation

Pictured from left to right: SOPA - Butler County athletes Jim Leonard and Jackie Abel; SOPA Board Chairman Tony Gillespie; STA representative Kelly Wood; and SOPA President and CEO Matt Aaron.

2012 Fall Festival

Thousands of Special Olympics athletes, coaches, volunteers, and supporters from across the state descended upon Villanova University for Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s (SOPA) Annual Fall Festival, Nov. 2-4, 2012. The 2012 Fall Festival event sponsors include Presenting Sponsor - TD Bank; Premier Statewide partner - Sheetz; W.W. Grainger; Student Transportation of America; GEICO; Sovereign Bank; Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check; The H.J. Heinz Company Foundation; the David and Marjorie D. Rosenberg Foundation; The Delaware County Times; 6abc; and WXVU. The Shipley School generously donates the use of their facilities for competitions and lunch for 400 venue participants.

TD Bank presented SOPA with a check during its 2012 Fall Festival VIP Reception.

TD Bank $82,202 Check Presentation

(TD Bank and SOPA Representatives from left to right): Tony Caviliere, Retail Market Manager for Chester Mainline; Geoff Brandon, Regional Vice President for Chester Mainline & Montgomery County; SOPA President and CEO Matt Aaron; SOPA athlete and Global Messenger Ernie Roundtree, Tom Shoemaker, PA Market President; SOPA Board Chairman Tony Gillespie; and SOPA athlete and Global Messenger Teddy Angerman.

2012 Temperance House Golf Outing

The 9^th Annual Temperance House Golf Outing raised a record-setting $30,000 for Special Olympics PA. Over the past 9 years the outing, led by Temperance House owners Pat and Carlene Deon, has raised nearly $200,000 for the movement here in Pennsylvania. Held each June at Makefield Highlands Golf Club in Yardley, the outing has become a welcomed summer tradition!

Temperance House $30,000 Check Presentation

Pictured from left to right: SOPA President and CEO Matt Aaron, Carlene and Pat Deon, and SOPA Vice President of Marketing and Development Eric Cushing.

2012 Truck Convoy

On Saturday, October 20, 2012, Special Olympics PA (SOPA) celebrated the trucking community and their support for Special Olympics through the World’s Largest Truck Convoy!  More than 50 semi-trucks participating in The Steel City Truck Convoy rolled through the streets and around the City of Pittsburgh, escorted by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. The event raised approximately $10,000 for more than 20,000 Special Olympics athletes across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  PGT Trucking, Inc. and Pitt Ohio Express presented Special Olympics Pennsylvania with checks during the inaugural event.

PGT Trucking, Inc. $5,000 Check Presentation

(Pictured from left to right): Front Row - Special Olympics Pennsylvania athletes Ryan Bolla, CeCe Wagner and Jessica Clayton.  Back Row -  Pittsburgh Police Commander Scott Schubert and President of PGT Trucking Gregg Troian.

Pitt Ohio $1,000 Check Presentation

(Pictured from left to right): Pittsburgh Police Commander Scott Schubert, Special Olympics Pennsylvania athlete Ryan Bolla, Pitt Ohio Safety Specialist Nathan Willson, SOPA Director of Development – West Kraig Makohus, and Special Olympics Pennsylvania athletes CeCe Wagner and Jessica Clayton. 

2012 Billy Frost Concert

The 2012 Billy Frost Concert held in Mt. Pocono, PA on August 19, 2012 raised $20,000 for SOPA’s Eastern Fall Sectional held at East Stroudsburg University. The annual sectional event hosts over 600 athletes during a day of competition filled with an assortment of activities including on-hand athlete health care.  Billy Frost Concert proceeds help to sponsor training, transportation, coaching, awards, equipment and travel for the Eastern Fall Sectional.  Additionally, a portion of funds raised also assists athletes who participate in the SOPA, Monroe County Program.

(Pictured from left to right): Lehigh County athlete Sam Heller, Billy Frost Committee Member Rick Starr, Bradford/Sullivan County athlete Elizabeth Porter, and Billy Frost Committee Member Rick Peoples.

Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) held its 43rd Annual Summer Games at Penn State University, University Park, PA, from Thursday, June 7 to Saturday, June 9, 2012. The event drew more than 2,000 athletes, 750 coaches and 2,500 volunteers from the community, organizations, and corporations around the state.  Several checks were presented to SOPA during its VIP Reception on June 7^th.

Sheetz, Inc.’s $175,000 Check Presentation

Pictured from left to right: SOPA President and CEO Matt Aaron; Director of Regional Operations for Sheetz, Inc., Adam Sheetz; SOPA Crawford County athlete Bill Shaulis; Board Member and VP of IT for Sheetz, Inc., Jim Wenner; SOPA Monroe County athlete Ernie Roundtree; SOPA Board Chairman Tony Gillespie; SOPA Lycoming County athlete Johanna Schoenek; and past Board Chair and Sheetz executive Buddy Casado.

This year’s Summer Games celebrated the 20 year partnership with Sheetz and the Sheetz Family. Sheetz is SOPA’s premier statewide partner and, in addition to past and present financial, in-kind and volunteer support, has created a culture of acceptance and support from the bottom to the top of their organization. Over the past 20 years they have contributed more than $3 million in financial and in kind support.  

UPMC’s $40,000 Check Presentation

Pictured from left to right: SOPA President and CEO Matt Aaron; SOPA Lycoming County athlete Johanna Schoenek; SOPA Monroe County athlete Ernie Roundtree; and Jonathan Encarnacion, Regional Director of UPMC for You.

For the second straight year, the UPMC Family of Companies has served as the Presenting Sponsor for the “Be a Fan” Torch Run, a 3-day, 150 mile journey from PNC Park in Pittsburgh to Medlar Field in State College. The entire run is coordinated by law enforcement, and with the help of UPMC, is a great awareness vehicle and incredible fundraiser.

Gilbane’s $30,000 Check Presentation

Pictured from left to right: SOPA President and CEO Matt Aaron; SOPA Crawford County athlete Bill Shaulis; and Mary Mulligan, manager of Engineering at Gilbane Building Company.

Gilbane’s annual golf outing annually raises funds for Special Olympics PA athletes.  Over the past 7 years, the outing has raised nearly $325,000 for our mission.

Cove Haven’s $28,000 Check Presentation

Pictured: Kevin J. Gardner, Marketing Coordinator at Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts and SOPA President and CEO Matt Aaron.

Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts presented a $28,000 check to SOPA on June 5th at the Summer Games VIP Reception held at Pennsylvania State University.  The proceeds, raised by Cove Haven guests from May 2011 to May 2012, will help benefit the nearly 20,000 Special Olympics athletes in Pennsylvania. Cove Haven has donated more than a half million dollars to SOPA over the past 15 years.