We are excited to announce that we will again offer FREE PHYSICALS for athletes to participating in Northampton County Special Olympics. The event will be held on 11/6/19 from 5:00pm - 6:30pm at the Charles Chrin Community Center. Athletes will be seen by the Certified Nurse Practitioner on first come, first served basis. If you have any questions about physicals please refer to our "Medicals

Great news from Life Skills Support! Congratulations to Linda Moscaritolo, Maura Reck, and Linda Henning for a Job WELL DONE! They have / continue to collaborate with Wilson Area HS Admin and Staff to produce this AWESOME video showcasing our students maximizing their potential as vital members of the Wilson HS school community!  The linked video highlighting our students' abilities and inclusion into the Wilson HS school community is scheduled to be shown to the entire Wilson HS student body during the daily morning news cast on Wednesday March 6, 2018. Additionally Linda and her team have sold over 54 t-shirts already and are set to sell bracelets over the lunch periods on Wednesday March 6, 2018 to further promote inclusion and ability awareness! Thank you Linda, Maura, and Linda for your leadership, dedication, advocacy, collaboration, and drive to provide innovative inclusive opportunities such as these for our students to showcase their strengths and to get them involved in their school community and beyond! Julie, we got permission to get this video out on our Social Media platforms! The video has already been shared with the students and their families!  Great Work everyone!! Onward! 
Spread the Word to End the Word - Wilson Area HS - "Possibilities Program"

Join us on Sunday April 7th @ 3:05pm at the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Hockey Game. NCSO is selling tickets for this event as a fundraiser. Tickets are $20 each. Please complete the attached order form and return to Janelle Pemberton at IU 20. Address and contact information are listed below.

​This year’s Special Olympics High School North event took place November 9, 2018 at Summit
Lanes, in Pocono Summit. We had 118 athletes participate in this event and it was a wonderful
day. Six athletes went home with trophies for bowling high scores in each category. Using
bumpers for female and male, and using no bumpers for female and male. Some of these
athletes will continue onto states in January 2019!

​Pins were being knocked down and high fives were being given out at Hampton Lanes on
November 8, 2018.
There were 140 athletes competing in the High School South Bowling Tournament using
bumpers, bumpers and ramps, and without bumpers. Smiles were seen from ear to ear when
the pins went down!
A special thank you goes out to a few of our athletes that helped make the day special! Logan
Wismer made the artwork seen on the front cover of the bowling packet, Masais Calderon led
everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Austin Heddy recited the Special Olympic Athlete’s
Oath at the event!
All of the athletes bowled to the best of their ability and earned ribbons that they proudly wore
back to their schools! Thank you to all of the teachers who helped train their students, the
athletes for working so hard to get ready for this event, and the families that came out to cheer
and support all of the athletes!
TOP BOWLERS
Male without Bumpers- Josh Croft 132
Female without Bumpers- Kiana Roman 115
Male with Bumpers - Harold LaForm 133
Female with Bumpers- Kayla Johnson 122
Male with Bumpers and Ramp- Kyle Bicking 107
Female with Bumpers and Ramp- Karissa Dreher 102

​This year flag football was held at the Chrin Community Center in Palmer Township with 21 athletes participating. Each week one athlete would be chosen to lead the stretching exercises. The athletes were taught the basic skills of flag football such as passing, kicking, and pulling off their opponents’ flags. They also learned how to play offensive and defensive positions. Each athlete was given a Fit5 program information booklet, which was then reviewed at the beginning of our weekly practices. Part of the Fit5 program was to test athletes in their ability to throw for accuracy, throw for distance, agility and speed. A great time was had by all coaches and athletes, and we are looking forward to seeing everyone again next year.

​Special Olympics Basketball Skills ran from early September until November. Twenty athletes practiced their dribbling, passing, and shooting skills in various drills and game situations. The athletes worked very hard to dribble around cones and with a defender trying to take the ball away from them. They learned the bounce and chest passes and could pass to their teammates with accuracy. Shooting was by far the most favorite skill they practiced! Balls were being shot from different spots on the court and they even learned how to do a layup! Playing defense was the hardest skill we worked on. Our athletes got much better staying between their player and the basket! The final training they played 3 vs 3 and had some shooting games! Our athletes really improved during the 8 weeks and loved competing against each other! So very proud of how hard our athletes worked and how much they improved! Way to go Northampton County Basketball! 

 The Northampton County Special Olympics equestrian program is designed for athletes to develop skills for COMPETITIVE horseback riding.  This is not a therapy program.  Participants attend a minimum of 10 training sessions followed by a NCSO local horse show.  Athletes may be considered for participation in the PA Special Olympic Summer Games held at Penn State University.  
Due to the nature and cost of this activity, slots are limited.  Should an opening become available, replacements are selected based on many factors (examples: skill level to match opening, horse availability). 

When:  mid March-end of May
Times:  Training sessions held Tuesdays at 5,6 and 7pm
Location: Equi-librium Therapeutic Horsemanship Center
                  524 Fehr Road Nazareth, PA
                **Wait List Only for Spring 2019**

To be considered, athletes must be:
• Age 10 and older
• Able to attend and respond to verbal instruction given in a group setting throughout a 45 minute training session with minimal assistance
• Committed to attending ALL training sessions
If you have questions contact equestrian coach Linda Lechner LLechnerNCSO@gmail.com.

Northampton County Special Olympics will be holding a Yankee Candle Fundraiser to help cover the cost of our four bowling tournaments and all of the bowling trainings for over 800 athletes. The fundraiser will run now through November 12, 2018. All of the items will arrive before Christmas!
Use Code: 999986223 so NCSO gets credit.
https://www.yankeecandlefundraising.com/store.htm
We appreciate your support in helping our program continue to grow!

I was one of four athletes from Northampton County that went to the NovaCare Complex on September 4th. This is the indoor practice area for the World Champion Philadelphia Eagles! We got to run through drills like the Eagles do. I had to step over hurdles, run around barriers, and crash through the tackling pads while running with a football. Four players from the Philadelphia Eagles team were there and cheered us on and tried to stop us as we ran through the drills. We also got to see a flag football game between two counties from the area. Swoop, the Eagles mascot, was there to cheer us on as we ran through drills on the same field that the Eagles practice on. But the best part of the night was getting to see three of the Eagles Cheerleaders, and I even got a picture with them! We got an Eagles Pennant,drawstring bag, water bottle, and a boxed meal before we left for home. But, I was really hungry after our long drive and running though all of those drills that we stopped to eat at a restaurant on the way home with Miss Amanda! Fly Eagles Fly!!! 
-Tyler Youngkin
Global Messenger

​This year four staff members, Matthew Krauss, Janelle Pemberton, Pamela Younkin and Amanda Sechrist, along with athlete representative Tyler Youngkin attended the 2018 Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) Leadership Conference Saturday, August 25th - Sunday, August 26th at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College. The conference offered Q&A meetings, Athlete Congress, Competition paperwork, Vsys updates, information on both volunteer and athlete recruitment, and of course networking and socializing with other programs. The staff attended the Leadership University Graduation Ceremony and Leadership Awards during a banquet. All staff had a relaxing time and worked to bring fresh and exciting ideas back to our local program.

​Northampton County Special Olympics attended the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania Summer
Games at Penn State University on May 31-June 2, 2018. The program took 49 athletes to
Athletics, 5 athletes to Swimming and 3 athletes to Equestrian. NCSO had 24 volunteers attend
the event including Athletics Head Coach Kory Kutzler, Swimming Head Coach Luann Shive and
Equestrian Head Coach Linda Lechner. The athletes participated in a parade of athletes to the
opening ceremonies that included lots of cheering and music. There was a special presentation
of the torch lighting by the local police on motorcycles. The athletes also attended a dance on
Friday night. The events wrapped up around 3:00 pm on Saturday and our very competitive
and exhausted athletes headed home to see their families

​On June 25, 2018 Northampton County Special Olympics in partnership with the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 held it’s 23rd Annual Golf Tournament at Glen Brook Golf Club in Stroudsburg, PA. Twenty Teams tee’d off at 8:00 a.m. to raise money for Northampton County Special Olympic Athletes. At the conclusion of the tournament a luncheon and awards ceremony took place, as well as a tricky tray raffle, prizes were donated by volunteers and local businesses. The money raised at this event helps with the cost of Summer State Games held at Penn State University.

Northampton County Special Olympic Equestrian Team 6th Annual Horse Show was held on Tuesday, May 22nd at the Equi-librium Therapeutic Horsemanship facility in Nazareth. The smiling faces of our riders completely overshadowed the dreary and rainy day. Lori Tucker and Sam Hartzell judged as our 10 riders competed in Equitation, Trail, Dressage and Barrel Races. The riders and horses performed at their very best, showing off improved skills and increased independence. We were well represented by riders Caroline, Lauren and Sara at the PA State Summer Games at Penn State University on May 31st
-June 2nd. We are so proud of you all!!

​10 ​equestrians
 6 ​horses
 7 ​NCSO members/coaches
 9 ​Equi-librium staff/volunteers
 2 ​judges
 2 ​photographers
 + 1 ​supportive crowd
 ___________________________
 1 Terrific Horse Show!

NCSO is now on Instagram. Be sure to check us out at "Northampton Special Olympics". We will be adding pictures of various events and fundraisers throughout the year. We encourage you to use #ncso when posting pictures of events and tag us! 

​Over the last few months, athletes from 22 Northampton County classes have been practicing their gymnastics skills. They worked very hard with the help of their classroom and gym teachers to learn routines in floor exercise, balance beam, and the vault.  After much anticipation, and 2 unexpected snow cancellations, the Special Olympics Gymnastics competition took place on Monday March 26, 2018. Easton Area High School hosted the 13th annual event. 165 gymnasts came ready to show their families, coaches, friends, and judges all their hard work. The event kicked off with opening ceremonies, and then the routines were on! The athletes tumbled, rolled, balanced, and jumped their way across the mats. Each routine started with the traditional one hand salute, and ended with an enthusiastic "TA DA!". Every athlete was proudly awarded a ribbon for each event. There was no shortage of sportsmanship, as the athletes cheered for their friends on the mats. This event is supported by so many wonderful volunteers. Many thanks to Easton Area High School, Student Council, security, custodians, administration, and student volunteers for your help and support. We are also grateful to the Easton Angels for holding their annual bake sale on behalf of Northampton County Special Olympics. Lastly, a special thank you to teachers and volunteers for your hard work and dedication to the athletes.  As always, the event closed with a dance party! It was a fun event and we are looking forward to another great year!