Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI) is dedicated to creating a world that accepts and welcomes every person regardless of ability or disability. The 2023 Polar Plunge season celebrated the push for a more inclusive world, with record-breaking crowds and funds raised for the second consecutive year.
They're out there, waiting patiently for that perfect moment. That hopeful smile at the starting line. A fist bump before the start of competition. That triumphant push across the finish line. From the snowy ski hills of Northern Michigan to the hot summer sun of a Mount Pleasant track, Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI) is blessed to have active, on-site volunteer photographers.
On Thursday, leadership from Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI), Gun Lake Casino, and Gun Lake Tribe gathered to announce a new state-wide partnership, including the presenting sponsorship of the world's largest Special Olympics training facility located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Made possible through a generous $2.5 million sponsorship agreement from Gun Lake Casino and Gun Lake Tribe, this partnership will support the Unified Sports & Inclusion Center as the premiere facility for all Special Olympics Michigan athletes to train and compete.
For the first time since founded in 1904, the Detroit Public School League (PSL) Basketball League will partner with Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI) to host a Unified Championship Game. Following a full season of league play, Sunday, February 19, Cody High School and Central High School teams – comprised of athletes with and without intellectual disabilities – will go head-to-head for the Detroit PSL Unified Championship title.
Sunday, January 29, the Wertz Warriors will take off on their annual week-long, 900-mile snowmobile endurance ride from Clinton Township to Mackinaw City, raising money and awareness for Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI). This year marks the 42nd ride of the Wertz Warriors.
Each day the athletes of Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI) push themselves outside of their comfort zone, breaking down barriers in an effort to create a unified world. You’re invited to make a splash and join them as they pave the way in the Inclusion Revolution by taking the Polar Plunge.
“Try, try again, get back up, and make sure that you go for it.”
As we enter a new year, these words shared by Special Olympics Michigan athlete, Jessica Martin, will be words I will live by moving forward. The 29-year-old uses her life philosophy daily to motivate herself and her peers.
Join the excitement as Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI) athletes and Unified partners from more than 60 counties across Michigan take part in the 2023 State Winter Games presented by Wertz Warriors. The celebration runs January 31 – February 3 at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa (GTRS), Schuss Mountain at Shanty Creek Resorts, and Howe Ice Arena at the Grand Traverse Civic Center.
Tournament officials announced that the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational’s Special Olympics 3-Hole Challenge program will be returning to the 2023 tournament. Scheduled for Friday, July 21, this annual event will welcome twelve Special Olympics athletes from Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region. Athletes will compete in a three-hole, three-person scramble on holes 16, 17, and 18 at Midland Country Club. The Dow GLBI and the Special Olympics Michigan have teamed up for the Special Olympics 3-Hole Challenge since 2019.
Championship medals are being polished ahead of the Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI) Poly Hockey and Unified Bowling finals next week. Nearly 500 athletes and Unified partners from across Michigan are expected to participate in the Lansing area events on Friday, Nov. 4.
After a two-year hiatus, the SOMI Awards & Appreciation Dinner returns! Below you will find our nomination forms for awards that will be given on Friday, Dec. 2, 202 to highlight the amazing work of our athletes, volunteers, coaches & supporters this past year. See the categories and nominate those who have gone above and beyond.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Police Chief Joe Morin list of professional accomplishments is long. However, his proudest is serving as a leader for the Michigan Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for more than a decade.