Stefan Xidas, Special Olympics Illinois athlete, and dedicated Cubs fan pursues his dream of singing at Wrigley Field with help from two lifelong friends. On Monday, September 10, Stefan Xidas’s dream came true. Stefan challenged Cubs Chairman, Tom Ricketts to allow him to sing the National Anthem at a game if he raised funds…
BY: JILL HAMMERGREN At today’s Opening Ceremony, Special Olympics athlete Tim Corrigan from Chicago served as the Co-Grand Marshal. The 75-year-old honoree’s appearance at the Opening Ceremony came 50 years after he was one of the first athletes to join Special Olympics in 1968. Corrigan was participating in square dancing events in Gage Park in…
By: Addy Rogers & Nadine Hanley, Public Relations students at Pepperdine University CHICAGO—About 100 spectators showed up to Soldier Field Stadium in Chicago, Illinois on that sweltering July afternoon in 1968. The heat left no passageway for a breeze, and the spectator’s seats felt sticky with sweat. But Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s voice reverberated through the…
On November 27, 2017, Special Olympics Illinois supporters gathered at Maggiano’s in Schaumburg for an evening to celebrate the Honorees of the 2017 Maggiano’s Hero Award. This award is given to a person, family, group or business which has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to Special Olympics Illinois. It serves as a way to recognize efforts…
Tommy Shimoda, a Special Olympics Illinois Athlete, is changing the game one milestone accomplishment at a time. Shimoda, 24, has been competing with Special Olympics Illinois at Mt. Greenwood Park since he was 8 years old. He started competing as a swimmer and now competes in over 20 different sports, including basketball, softball, volleyball, track…
