Hall of Fame  

1997 Inductees

Marie Doll, Volunteer, Centre County
In the early 1980s, Marie saw the need to revitalize an almost nonexistent local program. Over the next 10 years, with Marie as county manager, Centre County doubled the number of sports it offered, added team competitions, and increased the participation base of athletes and volunteers. From the beginning, Marie made it clear that the guiding principle in making decisions was that the outcome benefit the athletes.
 

Beth Greenawalt, Athlete, Area M
Beth began training for her first competition after a co-worker invited her to get involved. Fifteen years later, she is an accomplished athlete and spokesperson. "Heart and soul" are the words used to describe the kind of effort that Beth puts into her training and competition. Her dedication has taken her to all levels of competition, including three World Games, and has made her a sought-after speaker who recruits athletes and volunteers.

 

Michael Kmiec, Athlete, Delaware County
Since Michael began his association with Special Olympics in 1977, he has earned over 150 medals and ribbons. In addition to competing locally and statewide, he competed at the 1995 World Games. Michael has become a successful recruiter, talking many other young men and women into participating as athletes and volunteers by never forgetting what he considers to be the ultimate goal of Special Olympics: to participate and have fun doing so.
 

Kathy Lindgren, Athlete, Bethlehem
"Practice makes perfect" is the motto that Kathy takes very seriously. She has learned that discipline and hard work are the keys to success. And Kathy has found much success in her 20-year tenure with Special Olympics, including representing Pennsylvania at World Games on four occasions. Kathy has become an accomplished Athlete for Outreach speaker and serves as a role model for her peer group who is always willing to lend a hand to her fellow athletes.
 

Joey Osche, Athlete, Butler County
At age 8, Joey began participating in Butler County in the one-day track and field event. Since then, he has participated at the state level in every sport offered by his county. Joey has grown up to exemplify all that is good about athletics. He has learned that sports, like life, cannot be self-centered, and one must respect the rights of one's teammates. He gets so excited when talking about Special Olympics that Butler County officials concur: "He is the perfect example of how our athletes are the true spokespersons of our organization."
 

Jack Stover, Volunteer, Crawford County
Considered the founding father of Special Olympics Pennsylvania, Crawford County, Jack has volunteered for 25 years. A certified coach in several sports, Jack has attended two International Games. As a supervisor of special education, Jack has always seen Special Olympics as a vehicle for his student athletes to achieve their fullest potential. Jack also realized that the in-school population is not the only one served by Special Olympics and has been actively involved in the creation and continuation of its adult program.