Unified Teammates Anticipate the Return of our Annual Fall Festival
SOCT athletes and Unified Sports® partners are looking forward to competing at our annual Unified Sports® Fall Festival, presented by Mohegan Sun, on September 13th-14th (and 20th-21st).
Sports will include bocce, croquet, golf, sailing, and softball. The event is expected to draw nearly 800 teammates and their coaches and will also offer health activities and resources to participants.
Opening Ceremonies will take place prior to competition at bocce, softball, and sailing venues on Saturday, September 13th and the golf venue on Sunday, September 14th.
All events are free and open to the public.
We are extremely thankful for the generous support of our sponsors and over 500 anticipated volunteers.
Want to learn more and get involved? Click the button below our sponsor list for more event info.
Through our Healthy Athletes® program, Healthy Habits Education will be offered at our bocce venue to educate Fall Festival participants about mental and emotional wellbeing to enhance their performance in sports and in their daily lives.
Performance Stations will be set up at our softball venue to guide participants through activities that include pre-competition warm-ups and post-competition cool-downs.
Both Healthy Habits Education and Performance Stations will be offered on Saturday, September 13th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Our Health and Wellness team will present a Fall Fitness Festival for all SOCT athletes at Liam E. McGee Memorial Park on the campus of The Hartford on Sunday, September 28th 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. McGee Memorial Park is located at 5 Fraser Place, Hartford.
The event will offer participants energizing fitness activities, health resources, a nutritious lunch and a caring, supportive community.
All who register in advance, which is strongly encouraged, will receive an event t-shirt. Click here to register.
Ellner Champions Health and Wellness for SOCT Athletes
From intern to part-time team member, Abbey Ellner (pictured in blue) has brought her expertise in dietetics, exercise science, and public health to Special Olympics Connecticut’s Health and Wellness department.
Join us in thanking Abbey as she completes her time with us this month and learn how her passion is creating healthier lives for people with intellectual disabilities.
From middle school sports to becoming a Global Messenger for Special Olympics Connecticut, Hector Sanchez’s journey is one of courage, commitment, and determination.
Discover how this multi-sport athlete overcame his fear of heights to rappel down Mohegan Sun’s Sky Tower—and why he’s doing it again this year.
Plus, get his advice for staying calm under pressure!
Six of our athletes will be joining the ranks of those going Over the Edge for SOCT! Hector, Matt, Raishaun, Abby, and Kyle have completed the feat before. For Jackie – it will be her first time! They’re all dedicated, they’re fearless and they’re ready to rappel with over 125 participants in our sold out event.
Support them and help celebrate the 15th anniversary of Over the Edge for Special Olympics Connecticut, hosted by Mohegan Sun, by making a donation here. Or join us on August 29th at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville to root on all the rappelers.
Turn every mile into a mission! We are proud to be an Official Charity partner of the Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon, and we welcome runners to join our team.
Make your race more meaningful by fundraising to support athletes with intellectual disabilities across Connecticut.
🏃♀️ Race Day: Saturday, October 11th
💥 Options (in-person and virtual):
Full Marathon
Half Marathon
Team 26.2 (2-3 Teammates and 4-5 Teammates)
5K
Register today to race and raise for Special Olympics Connecticut.
Already registered? We've got you - you can still join our team!
Not a runner? No problem - we have volunteer opportunities, too!
Email Jeff V. at JeffreyV@soct.org to race or volunteer with the team.
Noteworthy News
The SOCT Golf & BBQ event took place at Tashua Knolls Golf Course in Trumbull on July 28th. Participants included 73 golfers and 4 SOCT athletes. Thank you to everyone for your support and congrats to the lucky winners of the raffle items and silent auction.
New SOCT volunteer photographer Craig Rosenberg stopped by our Special Olympics West Hartford team’s bocce and softball practices to capture all the time and hard work that goes into preparing for Fall Sports competition.
Our SOCT Global Messengers paired up with Synchrony employees for the 3rd Synchrony Cornhole Tournament at Synchrony in Stamford on July 30th. Carly Shwartz and her partner won the tournament and Matthew Antonucci and his partner received an honorable mention prize!
Global Messengers Brandon Knight, Jen Carlson and Robin Batchelder presented a "Lunch and Learn" to employees of Nirenstein, Horowitz & Associates in Glastonbury on July 30th. The athletes shared experiences and impact Special Olympics has on their lives along with volunteer opportunities at our Unified Sports® Fall Festival.
"Thumbs up" and thanks to all the volunteers and participants involved in TriRidgefield for their generous donation of $4,000 to SOCT. For a third consecutive year, proceeds from the annual triathlon will go towards supporting our athletes - runners, cyclists, swimmers, and beyond!
Free Resources to Care for Loved Ones
To show our appreciation for all you’ve done for Special Olympics Connecticut, we would like to offer you something in return. Something we hope will have a positive impact on you and your family. If you’re like many people, creating or updating your will, trust, and other important documents is something that often falls to the bottom of the to-do list. But planning can help you care for your loved ones and offer significant peace of mind. And it doesn’t have to be complicated.
We hope our free publications will help you get started. Some of the information available includes: • Considerations for taking care of a loved one with special needs, parents, or elder family members • Tips for choosing an executor • Creating an Advance Care Directive • Why you need a digital estate plan
