Welcome Letter from Richard Salinardi:
I can't believe it's been 35 years since we started Special Olympics on Staten Island. Our program started with a few athletes (8) at the Wagner College gymnasium on a Saturday morning. We had about five volunteer coaches that first Saturday. From that first Saturday came more Saturdays and more athletes and more volunteers and coaches.
We now have over 700 athletes on Staten Island who train not only on Saturdays but each day of the week, not in one sport but in a variety of sports during the year. Our athletes train and compete in hockey, basketball, softball, swimming, powerlifting, volleyball, bocce, long distance running, golf and equestrian.
Our athletes have traveled and competed all over New York State as well as the United States - Alaska, North Carolina, Iowa, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and all over the world- Austria, Greece and this year one of our athletes is going to compete in the Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai, China.
We have now grown into the greater region of New York City, which includes all of the boroughs. This will increase our ability to have more competitions for our athletes and also add many more resources to help our program.
We have come a long way since that first Saturday meeting at Wagner College 35 years ago due chiefly because of our great volunteers, coaches and community organizations on Staten Island that have continuously supported Special Olympics year after year.
We can't thank you all enough.
Sincerely,
Richard Salinardi
Chairman of the Board
Spotlight on Special Olympics celebrated
Special Olympics's 35th Anniversary in New York City
&
Al Lambert's 45th year in show business
OnThursday, March 22, 2007 Special Olympics New York (SONY) – New York City Region held a full dinner and theater show featuring Al Lambert. The event raised nearly $50,000 to support the continued efforts of the Special Olympics throughout New York City.The event was at The Old Bermuda Inn on Staten Island. More than 430 people attended the evening. The successful evening included a 50/50 raffle, a live show featuring Al Lambert in "A Tribute to O1'Blue Eyes" with arrangements by Tim Quimette & his Big Band and dinner. Special Olympics had this dinner fundraiser to benefit Special Olympics' 35th year of sports competition in New York City.
Sponsors of this year's first annual Spotlight on Special Olympics dinner were NYBOT Futures & Options for Kids, Goldman Sachs, MetLife,JP Morgan, Julianne and Frank Angelico, Lifestyles for the Disabled, NYSUT and friends of Al Lambert.
Richard Salinardi, Chairman of Special Olympics New York worked diligently with his committee to engage the Staten Island community to make this event successful. Spotlight on Special Olympics committee members are: Al Lambert, Beth Fromkin, Jackie Devlin, and Alice Casey.
