Area 11

Area Events

2/4/12: Muskegon 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/7/12: 2012 State Winter Games
2/10/12: Michigan Craft Beer & Wine Festival
2/11/12: Fenton 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/11/12: Stanton 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/11/12: Traverse City 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/11/12: Belleville 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/11/12: Gaylord 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/12/12: Ypsilanti 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/18/12: Sault Saint Marie 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/18/12: Holland 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run® Polar Plunge
2/18/12: Detroit 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/18/12: Jackson/Clarklake 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/18/12: Edwardsburg 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/18/12: Cheboygan 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/18/12: Mt. Pleasant 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/23/12: 1st Annual Legislative 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/25/12: Alpena 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run® Polar Plunge
2/25/12: Area 5 Mecosta/Osceola 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run® Polar Plunge
2/25/12: Chippewa Lake 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/25/12: Grand Rapids 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/25/12: Saginaw/Bay City/Midland 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/26/12: Lansing 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/26/12: Brighton 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
2/28/12: Applebee's 20% Kick-back Day for Special Olympics Michigan
3/17/12: Kalamazoo 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
3/17/12: Marquette 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar® Polar Plunge
4/21/12: 2nd Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run® Capital Area Dodgeball Tournament
5/31/12: 2012 State Summer Games
6/12/12: Real Estate One 8th Annual Golf Outing 'fore' Special Olympics
9/1/12: 9th Annual LETR Marshall Run

Counties » Kent, Barry

Sports » Alpine Skiing, Aquatics, Athletics (Track and Field), Basketball, Bocce, Bowling, Cross Country Skiing, Golf, Poly Hockey, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing, Soccer, Softball, Speed Skating, Volleyball

Total Athletes » 1,258

On this page, you will find information about our area, a list of upcoming events and even news articles about what is happening. If you have any questions about Area 11, please email Diane House.

Volunteer information available by contacting: area11.specialolympics@gmail.com

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Area 11 Weekly Newsletter Updates

Area 11 sends out one update per week via email with the latest sports program sign-ups and information, current events, and save-the-dates. Please subscribe here if you would like to receive this e-newsletter.

For our monthly newsletter please see below in the "Related Documents" section.

Aquatics Training

We are pleased to offer two training locations for aquatics this year. The culmination of the training season is SW Regional Spring Games at Calvin College on May 5.

Rockford - Coach Terry
Location: Rockford North Middle School
Saturdays from 11:30a to 12:30p
Begins January 7

Grandville - Coach Lori
Location: Grandville Middle School
Wednesday nights from 5:30p to 7:00p
Begins January 18

Please call (616) 583-1202 or email hull1jb@cmich.edu to get signed up so we can make sure your health appraisal form is current. If you know you need a new physical, you may download the form here. We must have this on file in the office before you begin training.

Thank you to the Kipkes who have been instrumental in helping us get the Rockford program started this year. Special Olympics Michigan hosted a coaches training day in December with approximately 15 youth volunteers who were certified in coaching to assist Renee Kipke, Suelyn Ritsma, Terry Eudy, and Vic Villareal with the Rockford based program.

Basketball Training Times & Dates

The basketball season has begun! This practice information is for the Independent teams. If yours is not listed here, please call the office for more information.

Eagles
Head coach: Randy Sailers
Location: Calvary Church
Tuesdays from 4:30p - 6:15p starting January 3

Hawks
Head coach: Dorane Strouse
Location: Calvary Church
Tuesdays from 4:30p - 6:15p starting January 3

Mavericks (Unified)
Head Coach: Stephanie Fogt
Location: Calvary Church
Saturdays from 9:30a - 11:30a starting January 7

Buffaloes
Head Coach: Bill Dombrowski
Location: Calvary Church
Saturdays from 9:30a - 11:30a starting January 7

Vultures
Head Coach: TBA
Location: Riverside Middle School - 265 Eleanor NE, GR
Mondays from 7:00p - 9:00p starting January 9

Falcons
Head Coach: Megan Gilder
Location: Riverside Middle School - 265 Eleanor NE, GR
Mondays from 7:00p - 9:00p starting January 9

Blazers
Head Coach: Kim Pazikowski
Location: New Community Church - 2340 Dean Lake Ave NE, GR
Tuesdays from 6:30p - 8:00p starting January 10

Culver's Night Out for Special Olympics

On Thursday, January 26, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., four Kent County Culver's locations will donate 10% of ALL proceeds -- dine in and drive through sales -- to Area 11 Special Olympics. You have to eat dinner anyway, so why not dine out for a cause? At least plan to visit the drive thru for Culver's frozen custard! Thank you to Culver's for their continued support in hosting this annual event.

Valid locations:

Culver's Cascade - 6300 28th St, GR
Culver's Comstock Park - 4280 Alpine Ave, GR
Culver's Wyoming - 245 54th St, Wyoming
Culver's Grand Rapids - 2510 East Beltline, GR

Be a 2012 Basketball Buddy

Each year, Area 11 issues a new Basketball Buddy pin and invites you to add the yearly membership button to your collection. Basketball Buddy pins are $5 each and are sold by the players during the month of January. 100% of the proceeds support our 30+ Area 11 basketball teams.

We need to sell 2,000 buttons this year to continue to send teams to area, regional, and state competitions. This is such a small, easy way to show the basketball athletes our support.

Special Olympics Night at the Griffins

It's time to get your tickets for Saturday, February 11, 2012, when the Grand Rapids Griffins will host Special Olympics Night.

Lower level tickets are only $15 (regularly $20) with $4 per ticket sold going to Area 11 Special Olympics! This link griffinshockey.com/promocode and promotion code SPECIAL must be used when purchasing your tickets for us to receive credit.

The Van Andel Arena will also offer a special $5 meal deal that night at concessions behind sections 108 & 122. See you at the game. #goGRG!

2012 Polar Plunge

Save the date!

The 2012 Grand Rapids Polar Plunge will take place at East Grand Rapids Middle School and Reeds Lake on Saturday, February 25, 2012. Registration will start at 11:00 a.m. The parade of costumes and plunge will start at 12:45 p.m. The post plunge party and awards ceremony will begin after the last plunge - 2:00p.m. More info at somi.org. Get registered online here.

Share Your Photos

Parents, coaches, and chaperones when you take photos of Area 11 events, please email a few to hull1jb@cmich.edu so we can recognize the teams our newsletter and on facebook.

Photos can also be shared on our Area 11 facebook page wall or on flickr.com by tagging your photos as "SOMI Area 11". Thank you!

Volunteers Needed in the Office

THANK YOU to all the ladies who have been volunteering in the afternoons at the Area 11 office.

We still have lots of projects to catch up on. If you're available on a weekday between 9:00am and 5:00pm, would you consider giving us 2 or 3 hours of your time? We're located just west of 76th St and Clyde Park off 131. Please email Jolon at hull1jb@cmich.edu or call (616) 583-1202 if you are available.

Winter Quarter Information

The Winter 2011-12 Newsletter is an excellent resource featuring: a year-end message from the Area Director, coach & athlete calendar for the first half of 2012, an Area 11 resource guide, an overview of the major winter fundraisers, and the 2012 Area 11 Calendar.