Please see the attached Online Fundraising Memorandum that has been published by Special Olympics Ontario.

Special Olympics Ontario has identified Frontstream (previously known as Artez) as, at present, the only online fundraising platform to be used by Special Olympics Ontario communities & volunteers, or any individual raising money in the name of Special Olympics Ontario. The benefits of using Frontstream and the limitations of all other online fundraising platforms are outlined in the attached memorandum and the policy available at the following link:

http://info.specialolympicsontario.ca/programs-policies-procedures/13-0---operational-sport-policies/13-2-0---operational-policies/13-2-5--online-fundraising .

If you are aware of any volunteer, athlete, family member, coach, or community member (etc.) utilizing any other online donation platform to raise funds for Special Olympics Ontario, we would ask that you kindly make them aware of this policy.

Please circulate this memorandum widely within your Special Olympics communities.

It’s time to nominate and select 2018 Special Olympics Ontario Provincial awards winners. We are once again looking for deserving athletes and volunteers in various categories, so please nominate any deserving candidates.

To nominate athletes and volunteers please visit our Provincial Awards Website and submit your nomination on the online forms provided. Please note that the deadline date is Friday, May 18, 2018.

 http://awards.specialolympicsontario.ca

Please share this information with your community. We wish to compile a list of candidates from all over the province. This is a great way to recognize people in your community who make a significant difference. All Provincial Award Winners will be recognized at SOO’s 2018 Annual General Meeting, and subsequently nominated for recognition at the national level through Special Olympics Canada.

For further information / concerns, please contact the SOO Awards Team at SOOAwards@specialolympicsontario.ca.

We are very pleased to launch the Team Ontario Fan Wear site.  Our team slogan is ON OUR GAME, so keep your eye out for that line on most apparel pieces!

We have designed the Fan Wear sales to be available through two stores, open at two different times. Here's the plan: 

• The first store will be open from now until Sunday, April 8^th (midnight) to receive orders for the 2018 Bowling Championships in PEI.  Items ordered in the first store will be delivered by May 9^th. 
• The second store will be open from Monday, April 16^th – Sunday, May 13th to receive the orders for National Games in July.  Items ordered in the second store will be delivered by June 20^th.

Both stores will have exactly the same Fan Wear; we just want to make sure the bowlers get their orders immediately, since their event happens much earlier.

Please click the following link to go to the Team Ontario Fan Wear store: https://soomerchandise.itemorder.com/sale?read_message=true

We hope to see all the Team Ontario fans wearing the fan wear because Team Ontario is ON OUR GAME!

Special Olympics Ontario has enacted a two-year eligibility criteria for all athletes advancing to Provincial Games. The new policy, which will take effect on February 23, 2018 and hence apply to our next round of Spring Sport Provincial Qualifiers in 2019 is attached to this post. Please review the attachment (which contains a memo of the policy’s enactment, as well as the policy itself).

Please Note:

• It is critical that coaches and team managers are well aware of this new policy change. Please circulate this widely and thoroughly across your sport clubs via the coaches and team managers.
• It is also critical that coaches and team managers be sent their Sport Club Verification Reports so that they can review who is registered in their clubs in our database and begin adding any missing athletes. We will use our database information to determine eligibility so it is essential that that resource be up-to-date.
• These reports should be distributed to each sport club within your community on an annual basis – either by the Community Coordinator, by your Sport Technical Coordinator, or by your Athlete Registrar (whatever works best in your community).
• If you need help generating Sport Club reports, please do not hesitate to get in touch your District Developer.

The Coaching Association of Ontario (CAO) has extended the deadline for taking their Coaching Athletes with a Disibility eModule for FREE until March 31^st. Volunteers that would like to take this module can visit the CAO website using the following link and request the code to access the course for FREE.

 http://www.coachesontario.ca/coaching-athletes-disability-still-free-march-31st/

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More about the Coaching Athletes with a Disability eLearning Module:

Coaching Athletes with a Disability is a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) eLearning module that provides coaches the knowledge to deliver quality, positive sport experiences for athletes, specifically with behavioural, intellectual, physical, and sensory disabilities.

Coaching Athletes with a Disability NCCP training will provide coaches the ability to:

• Explain the benefits of sport participation for persons with a disability;
• Communicate effectively and respectfully with, and regards to, persons with a disability;
• Design positive, safe, and inclusive sport experiences for persons with a disability; and
• Consider next steps in their professional development related to coaching persons with a disability.

Congratulations to all athletes, coaches and mission staff who have been named to Team Ontario!

Team Ontario announcement for 2018 Special Olympics Canada National Bowling Championships, May 13 - 17, Prince Edward Island: http://www1.specialolympicsontario.com/blog/2018-national-bowling-championships-team-ontario-announcement/

Team Ontario announcement for 2018 Special Olympics Canada National Summer Games, July 31 - August 4, Antigonish, Nova Scotia: http://www1.specialolympicsontario.com/blog/2018-summer-national-games-team-ontario-announced/

 Learn more about the games and support the athletes in your community by visiting: http://www1.specialolympicsontario.com/2018teamontario/

 Special Olympics Ontario will be sharing more fun facts about Team Ontario throughout the week; be sure to follow along on our social media platforms to be kept-up-to-date! #ONOurGame