Summer Games Results Press Release

Contact: Jackie Gostomski, Public Relations Coordinator, lebcoso@comcast.net 

For Immediate Release

LEBANON COUNTY ATHLETES COMPETE IN Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s 2013 Summer games

(Lebanon, PA, June 28, 2013) – 53 athletes from Lebanon County participated from June 6 – June 8, 2013 in Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s 44th Annual Summer Games at Penn State University, University Park, PA. They joined more than 2,000 athletes, coaches, volunteers, and supporters representing Pennsylvania counties who competed in sports such as aquatics, softball, soccer, golf, basketball, tennis, and athletics.

With the assistance of 14 head and assistant coaches, the 53 athletes representing Lebanon County were the largest delegation ever for the county at the annual Summer Games. Lebanon County athletes had a very successful Summer Games taking home multiple medals. The breakdown of medals included:

·         Gymnastics 51 gold, 13 silver, and 6 bronze individual medals

·         Tennis 3 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze individual medals

·         Aquatics 4 gold, 4 silver, and 1 bronze individual medal

·         Golf 1 gold and 3 silver individual medals

·         Athletics 2 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze individual medals

·         Softball unified team a silver medal

·         Bowling unified team a gold medal

·         Basketball team scored a bronze medal

Summer Games 2013 served as a qualifier for Special Olympics National Games in 2014, being held in New Jersey from June 14-21, 2014. Athlete Alyssa Dreibelbis was drawn as a first alternate for aquatics and the softball unified team was drawn as a first alternate for unified softball. Summer Games marks the end of the spring & summer sports seasons for the county. Special Olympics operates year round. Fall sports season starts in early August. Anyone interested in learning more about how to become an athlete, unified partner, volunteer, coach, or supporter of Lebanon County Special Olympics can visit our website at www.lebcoso.org or contact via phone at (717) 272-1332.

About Special Olympics PA – Lebanon County

Special Olympics Pennsylvania – Lebanon County provides year-round training and competition in 14 Olympic-type sports to more than 250 children and adults with intellectual disabilities or closely related developmental disabilities. For more information, visit our Web site at http://www.lebcoso.org/.

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Jessie's Blog: Athlete Representative Introduction

Hello, Here's a quick introduction: Jessie Salness is Lebanon County's new athlete representative. She'll be blogging about all things Lebanon County, Special Olympics, and athlete leadership! Keep an eye out for new blogs. Welcome Jessie! - Jackie Gostomski, Web Coordinator

Hello Everyone:

My name is Jessie Salness, and I am the newly appointed Lebanon County Athlete Representative, as well as a Track and Field and Powerlifting athlete.  I joined the Lebanon County division of SOPA in the Spring of 2012, and I wanted to tell you a few things that I think are remarkable about SOPA.

I love that we come together to practice and compete as a team, even when we are involved in sports that are often viewed as more individual, solitary sports. It is wonderful that we support each other and cheer each other on to do the best we can, and we often go way beyond what we thought was possible!  I know that I have lifted more weight and have run faster than ever before, and that hearing the cheers of my fellow athletes helps push me to succeed!

Week after week, we show up for practice, try our best, and encourage our fellow athletes, even when we may be frustrated or find things difficult.  There are easier things we could be doing that don't take as much effort, but our effort and perseverance pays off, especially when we compete in our various sporting events!

I often recall our S.O. Oath when competing, and want to remind my fellow athletes:

"Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

I am proud to be a Special Olympics athlete, and especially proud to be the Lebanon County SOPA Athlete Representative.

Sincerely,

Jessie Salness                                                                        

Special Olympics PA Lebanon County

Athlete Representative

(717) 272-1332 (Mailbox 8)

Updates from Joan

Prayers and good thoughts to Michele Voydik and her family. Michele receivied a kidney Thursday and is having regular kidney functions.

Many good thoughts for Kathie Hatzfield and her family on their new arrival: a boy!

Welcome to our LEBCOSO Blog!

Summer Games 2010

Welcome to our blog! We're new at this so hopefully you'll follow us. Check in with us to see what's happening in sports, competition, and our local events and fundraisers.

We started this blog just as we're preparing for to head to Penn State next weekend for Summer Games!

Good luck to all our athletes who have been training to compete! And great job to those who aren't heading to competition, thanks for training with us! And good luck and thanks also to all of our volunteers who assisted in training and are going along to competition.