by lauryn | Sep 15, 2026 | Athletes, Mission Focused, Region H, Region I, Sports, State Tournaments
Volunteer Christy Beenenga Travels Long Path to Special Olympics Illinois; Decatur’s Brian Dalluge on Home Turf for State Golf Tournament
By Randy Kindred
Benjie Holmes is a coach, athletic director, board member, secretary/treasurer and active fundraiser for the Beardstown Area Special Athletes (BASA) program. It qualifies as a labor of love, and is driven by the memory of someone he loved.
Hunter Holmes, one of Benjie and Sandy Holmes’ three sons, died in 2018. He was 19.
“He had Asperger’s, a form of autism,” his father said. “He took his own life. I needed to do something in honor of him. That’s why I do what I do.”
Holmes began coaching the BASA Black Attack softball team in 2019. He has built a highly successful program that won a gold medal last year at the North American Softball Tournament in Oklahoma.
After playing Saturday and Sunday, the Black Attack earned a silver medal at the Special Olympics Illinois State Softball Tournament in Springfield.
Hunter Holmes did not participate in sports. “He was more of a computer guy,” Benjie said, but his presence remains in his father’s heart and mind.
“I don’t wish anybody to ever go through that, but it makes you think about what’s important and how little help these kids actually get going through life,” Holmes said.
Benjie Holmes is there for them, donating time, energy and often money to create opportunities or enhance existing ones. A contractor by trade, if the organization needs something built, he builds it.
His wide-ranging involvement led to him being named the 2026 Region H Coach of the Year.
Holmes played football, basketball and baseball at Havana High School. He lives in Virginia, Illinois, 15 miles from Beardstown, and coaches basketball and softball for BASA. He hopes to add flag football at some point.
“I need to free up more of my own time to do that,” he said, smiling. “There is so much enjoyment to this. There’s not really a lot of drama with these kids. If you see one get upset, it’s about him. He’s not mad at someone else. He’s upset with himself.”
The State Softball Tournament attracted more than 500 athletes, 145 coaches and 30 teams. Among the volunteers was Christy Beenenga, whose journey to the Special Olympics Illinois is a winding one.
Beenenga graduated from New Berlin High School, near Springfield. After earning a degree at Illinois State University, she accepted a job that took her overseas and throughout the United States in a 34-year career.
“I worked for AAFES, Army & Air Force Exchange Service, which is on Army and Air Force installations around the world,” Beenenga said. “I was in Germany twice, in Arizona, Texas, Montana. The last one was Tennessee, where I was in more of a headquarters position.”
Beenenga retired in April 2024 and watched her niece volunteer at a Special Olympics bocce event in Indiana. It led her to sign up to volunteer in Tennessee.
“I got hooked in Tennessee. I did three events there,” Beenenga said. “One was the Music City Blitz, a flag football event where they bring in teams from all kinds of states in the (Tennessee) Titans’ stadium. That was an awesome event.”
Beenenga moved to Springfield, Illinois about a year ago and has volunteered for Region H Special Olympics Illinois events since February. She assisted with the skills competition at the State Softball Tournament.
“I think this is my 12th event,” she said. “I’m signed up through November for whatever events we have going on in Region H. It’s a feel-good day to be involved. Every day you’re here, it’s a feel-good day.
“I’m open to whatever comes along. I was just trying to figure out how to keep busy and give back after retiring. When you retire, it’s a little bit of a hit on the psyche, so you have to figure out another way to still help people. This is it.”
Learn more about the 2026 Special Olympics Illinois State Softball Tournament.
Home Links Advantage for Dalluge
Decatur’s Brian Dalluge made himself at home, literally, at the Special Olympics Illinois State Golf Tournament. Dalluge was one of only two representatives from Region I, where the state tournament is held at Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth/Decatur.
Growing up, Dalluge participated in a variety of mainstream sports through school, including basketball, bowling, swimming, baseball, and soccer. But when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted sports and Brian was no longer playing with many of his regular teammates, his family began looking for other opportunities.
That search led them to Special Olympics Illinois and the Dream Catchers. Brian’s father, Daniel, said the family quickly found that the program was a good fit for his son.
Asked about being part of the Dream Catchers, Brian kept his answer simple: “I like it a lot.”
And he has found plenty to like about golf. After earning a silver medal at last year’s State Golf Tournament, Brian moved up to the top spot this year, taking first place in the traditional nine-hole competition.
This year’s State Golf Tournament featured 116 athletes, along with 14 Unified partners and 65 coaches. For Brian, the event offered the added advantage of being held practically in his own backyard. He plays regularly at Hickory Point or across town at Decatur’s Red Tail Run.
His grandfather, Dennis Woodard, has been by his side as his caddy in golf competitions for the past three years. Woodard, who has played in Pro-Am golf events, was once again on the bag for Brian at the state tournament.
“I’m the one he always takes, even just to play,” Woodard said.
When Brian isn’t practicing or competing, he works for ESS Clean, helping clean at an attorney’s office and a real estate office. Congratulations to Brian, and all athletes and Unified partners, who competed in our state tournaments over the weekend!
Learn more about the 2026 Special Olympics Illinois State Golf Tournament.
by lauryn | Sep 10, 2026 | DEIB, LETR, Mission Focused, Region H, UCS/Unified
As students return to school this fall, Special Olympics Illinois is proud to recognize someone whose dedication to inclusion has made a lasting impact both in schools and throughout communities across the state. For more than three decades, Diane VanderKooy has championed the mission of Special Olympics Illinois through the Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR), while helping create welcoming, supportive environments for students through her work in school safety and education.
Diane’s journey with Special Olympics Illinois began in 1990 while serving as an Illinois State Police Trooper in northern Illinois. Volunteering at competitions alongside Master Sergeant Harry Masse introduced her to a movement that would shape the rest of her career and life.
“He first showed me what it actually means to be a ‘Guardian of the Flame,'” Diane said.
What began as volunteer service quickly became a lifelong commitment. As her Illinois State Police career progressed, including an assignment at the ISP Academy supervising cadet classes, her dedication to the Law Enforcement Torch Run only deepened. In 1999, Lieutenant Mike Beagles, Inspector Kevin Eack, and Lieutenant Collier entrusted her with the role of Leg 17 Leader (now called Regional Representative), continuing a legacy established just a few years earlier.
Today, Diane remains Region H’s Regional Representative and has served on the LETR State Committee since 2001. She also served as the Illinois State Police statewide coordinator until 2018 and continues supporting the effort as co-coordinator alongside Master Sergeant Amber Dunn.
Throughout her years of service, Diane has helped introduce countless law enforcement officers to the mission of Special Olympics Illinois, including presenting to every new cadet class at the Illinois State Police Academy alongside Athlete Leaders and Global Messengers.
While her journey has included leadership positions and opportunities to represent Illinois on an international stage, Diane says the greatest impact has come from the people she’s met along the way.
“This movement has done way more for me than I could ever do for it,” she said.
That commitment has taken Diane around the world as a Guardian of the Flame, representing Illinois at the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, the 2022 USA Games in Orlando, and the 2023 World Games in Berlin. Yet despite those remarkable experiences, she is quick to point out what matters most.
“The best part of all this isn’t the travel or the titles, it’s just watching our athletes grow,” Diane said.
Her passion for supporting athletes led to another important chapter when she became involved with the Chatham Chargers. After retiring from the Illinois State Police as a Master Sergeant in 2015, Diane stepped into the role of Head Coach and Special Olympics Athletic Director for the program.
At the time, the Chatham Chargers served approximately 16 athletes across two sports. Today, thanks to the dedication of many coaches, volunteers, families, and community supporters, the program has grown to more than 70 athletes, 37 Unified partners, and more than 18 coaches, competing in eight sports.
Diane’s impact extends beyond athletics. Since joining Ball Chatham School District and progressing from substitute to School Safety Officer and now Director of Safety and Security, she has helped all six district schools become involved in the Unified Champion Schools program.
As students head back to school this year, Diane believes inclusion remains one of the most important ingredients for a positive school culture.
“Inclusion is the heartbeat of our schools,” she said. “When we bridge the gap between students, we aren’t just making things safer and we’re making them kinder.”
Through initiatives such as Respect Week, Fans in the Stands, Cool School Plunges, and student leadership opportunities, Diane has seen firsthand how inclusion can transform school communities.
She believes students learn some of their most valuable life lessons by connecting with and supporting one another.
“Our students are proving that everyone deserves a chance to shine,” she said.
For Diane, inclusion is not simply a program or initiative. It is a belief that guides her work every day.
“Inclusion means ensuring that every person is seen and heard for their individual worth and potential, regardless of their challenges.”
After more than 35 years of service to Special Olympics Illinois and the Law Enforcement Torch Run, Diane remains just as passionate about the movement as she was when she first volunteered in 1990.
“I’ll always be a cheerleader for this cause because it truly changes your life if you let it,” Diane said. “It has definitely changed mine.”
Whether she’s carrying the Flame of Hope, mentoring students, coaching athletes, or helping build more inclusive communities, Diane continues to embody what it means to be the #SOILLDifference.
by lauryn | Mar 19, 2026 | Athletes, Mission Focused, Organizational Impact, Region D, Region H, Sports, State Tournaments, UCS/Unified, Volunteers
By Randy Kindred and Lily Goodfellow
Tom White won more than 400 games in 26 seasons as Chicago De La Salle Institute’s boys head basketball coach. There were a lot of highs in a career that earned him induction into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Yet, White will tell you there were some “hard years” in which “people are transferring on you and there are things you don’t see.”
White coaches the game in a different environment these days, and it’s given him something new, special. His De La Salle/Southside team fell a bit short in its quest for a fourth straight IHSA Unified State Basketball Division 2 championship, but that was OK. White and his players had a third-place trophy Saturday and, more importantly, each other.
“In some of my years as a boys varsity coach … I don’t know if I was told too much that they loved me,” White said. “In this, they tell you they love you. They want to hug you. I think it’s a human need a little bit. It’s good to be appreciated like that instead of criticized.”
The weekend also featured the Special Olympics Illinois State Basketball Tournament in Bloomington-Normal. Among those at Illinois State’s Horton Field House was Mitzi Vasconcelles, a retired Springfield police officer who has volunteered at Special Olympics Illinois events for decades.
On the Court With Southside Unified
Southside defeated East St. Louis, 67-46, in the third-place game at the University of Illinois’ Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) in Champaign. That came after a 49-40 semifinal loss to Bradley Bourbonnais the previous day. Bradley Bourbonnais took second place Saturday behind champion Chicago Vaughn Occupational High School & St. Patrick High School.
This was White’s fourth year coaching Southside Unified, and while another state title was not to be, “It’s pretty darn good to be here,” he said.
“You get your school, the non-special needs kids, and every year you get different kids,” White said. “This year, our soccer team was state champs. Most of these kids who are De La Salle students (on Southside Unified) are soccer players. It makes a difference.
“It (Unified) is a cool thing. I think it’s something that high school kids need in order to appreciate who they are, what they are.”
Brandon Dorsey was part of Southside’s three-year championship run. An athlete with Special Olympics Illinois, he was a player for two years and a student assistant coach for one.
Dorsey and White were featured in an inspirational video at last year’s Special Olympics Illinois Champions Ball. Dorsey now attends Richard Daley Community College in Chicago and has a job at Jewel-Osco, but his impact on the team is still being felt, White said.
“He was just the nicest kid, played hard,” said White, who is in his 31st year as De La Salle’s athletic director. “He’s like my kid a little bit. He would be the glue behind the team. He just said the right things. His disabilities were not anything of what his heart was and his head was. He saw things and understood things.
“Awesome kid, and he still has remnants in this program. He would say NWG .. Now We Go! Then everybody would start dancing and stuff.”
Dorsey said he joined a teammate to create “hype” for Southside through music.
“My teammate is a rapper and I am a music producer, so we’d create a rap song to get the team hyped up before our game started,” he said.
Dorsey believes he is still reaping the benefits of being with Southside Unified.
“Now that I’m in college, I feel like I carry that with me,” he said. “It’s for like, ‘work as a team, do your part.’ I deal with that with work and with school, so whatever I’m doing that does not involve basketball, I feel like I’m still in it because you’re working as a group.”
Learn more and view results from the 2026 IHSA Unified State Basketball Tournament.
The Heart Behind the Medals
Vasconcelles is a Region H volunteer who got involved in Special Olympics Illinois long before she retired from the Springfield Police Department in 2002.
Her first event was the Spring Games in Springfield and she was one of only five volunteers, something she said “is unheard of today.”
Vasconcelles was among those handing out awards and medals at the State Basketball Tournament. At the Summer Games tournament, she works on the track.
She said she enjoys both roles, as well as regional and local events. Earlier this month, she volunteered at the Springfield area’s Polar Plunge, which raised more than $130,000 for Special Olympics Illinois. Asked if she participates in the Polar Plunge, she said, “I do not. As I tell people, I am the last sane person they see before they go in the water.”
Among her favorite aspects of volunteering is seeing the joy of the athletes when they receive their medals.
“Oh, they’re so exuberant. They’re so proud of themselves,” Vasconcelles said. “It’s been a long weekend for some, you know. And this is the culmination of all their hard work. That’s what’s special. And what’s really fun is no matter how they place, they’re excited.
“I mean, I like to say it’s true athletic competition. Everybody is pulling for everybody. And if you watch the games, if somebody falls down, somebody’s there to help them up. I mean, it’s wonderful.”
Vasconcelles said she has come to know numerous coaches and families as a Special Olympics Illinois volunteer, including many from Chatham. She has a treasure trove of fond memories as a volunteer, too many to choose a favorite, she said.
Asked for a word to describe herself, she replied, “Humble, I guess. Humble to be around all these wonderful athletes.”
Learn more and view results from the 2026 State Basketball Tournament.
by lauryn | Oct 21, 2025 | Athletes, DEIB, Mission Focused, Region H, Uncategorized
In Chatham, Illinois, one small business is making a big impact, one shirt, one shift, and one person at a time. Impressions Design is a workplace built on the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to contribute, grow, and belong.
Founded by Ashley Hinds, a former speech pathologist, Impressions Design was created to fill a critical gap she witnessed firsthand. While working in a local high school, Ashley helped students with disabilities build vocational skills to prepare for life after graduation. But many of those students struggled to find sustainable employment once they left school.
“Things like needing additional support from staff, needing accommodations and modifications to the work environment to make them successful, and/or additional time was needed to learn a skill or complete a task at the job site,” were some of the reasons, she explains. These supports were common in schools but rarely offered in the workplace. Ashley knew something had to change, so she built a business where those supports were built in from the start.
What began in her garage is now a thriving brick-and-mortar store with a team of eight, each employee bringing their own strengths to the table. “Each person who works for us has a unique skill set that we use to make sure that they feel successful and important while at Impressions,” Ashley explains.
“We don’t see each other as ‘someone with a disability’ and ‘support staff,’” she adds. “We see each other as Ashley, Marissa, Lucas, Jordan, Abigail, Cassidy, George, and Gabriella. We’re a team.”
One of those team members, Abigail, says her favorite part of the job is making shirts with her coworker Marissa. “We have fun making all the shirts together,” she says. Abigail has helped create apparel for Special Olympics Illinois events like Row 4 Dough, and she beams with pride when she sees people wearing shirts she helped make. “I have a job that I like going to and feel comfortable being myself there,” she adds.
That sense of belonging is no accident. Ashley and her team have built a culture where growth is celebrated and success is defined by progress, not perfection. Jordan, once nervous about using the press, now operates it independently. Lucas, who struggled to work for 15 minutes at a time, now rides his bike to work early and completes full four-hour shifts. “It didn’t happen overnight,” Ashley says. “It took time, patience, and compassion. But when you see those successes, it makes it all worth it.”
Impressions Design is a blueprint for what inclusive employment can look like. And during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the team doubled down on its mission. Each Friday, they celebrated “FriYAY” with recognitions, treats, and dance parties, but this October, they also shared ways other businesses can make small changes that lead to big impact.
Ashley’s advice to other employers? “Do it! It may take a little more time to train or complete tasks, but in the end, the rewards of helping someone feel empowered, successful, and important far exceed the small amount of time it takes. Impressions is no longer a job, it is a family, here to support each other and our community as well.”
As Abigail puts it: “Impressions is a place that helps me feel like I am fitting in somewhere. I would tell someone to try it out even if they’re nervous.”
Inclusion isn’t just a value at Impressions Design, it’s the fabric of everything they do.
by lauryn | Aug 19, 2025 | Mission Focused, Region H, State Tournaments, UCS/Unified, Uncategorized
This year, UCS is launching Brag Reports — a chance for schools and students to share their successes, ideas, and inspiring experiences with our team and with each other. These reports celebrate the impact of Unified Champion Schools by highlighting the stories, moments, and lessons that make our community so powerful.
One shining example comes from Alison at Pleasant Plains High School, who shares how her time at the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games shaped her leadership and strengthened her passion for inclusion.
Alison’s Brag Report
These past three summers, I have had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Youth Leadership Experience at the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games. These experiences have not only deepened my appreciation for the volunteers and members that work for Special Olympics Illinois, but also given me lasting memories and friendships.
From the moment you arrive, there is a unique energy in the air, the atmosphere is filled with excitement, compassion, and unshakeable determination. The athletes, coaches, volunteers, and families all come together in a celebration of inclusion, perseverance, and joy. One thing I will never forget is experiencing Opening Ceremony for the first time. The energy is electric and the stadium is full of people, all ecstatic for the days ahead of them.
One of the most rewarding parts of this experience has been getting to meet new people from all walks of life. Whether it was exchanging stories with fellow volunteers or cheering side by side with athletes’ families, every interaction reminds me of the powerful connections that sports can create. I was also grateful for the leadership experience I gained. Whether helping coordinate events, guiding athletes through their schedules, or stepping in to solve unexpected problems, I was able to grow my confidence and skills in a supportive, high energy environment. Being trusted in these roles helped me see myself as a leader, and someone who can step in when it is needed most. Above all of the things I have taken away from this experience is the interactions with the athletes. Their determination, sportsmanship, and sheer joy were nothing short of inspiring. Watching them compete with fierce focus and unshakable enthusiasm, reminds me of what true strength looks like.
As I reflect on my times at Summer Games, I walk away with a full heart and a firm belief in the power of inclusion, leadership, and human connection. This event and experience reminds me that we are all capable of greatness and that sometimes, the most meaningful victories are the ones that happen off the scoreboard.
Learn more about Unified Champion Schools programming.
by Michelle Mayer | Jun 10, 2025 | Athletes, LETR, Mission Focused, Region H, Sports
For families across Illinois, the Young Athletes program is more than a chance to run, jump, throw, and play. It’s the very first step into the Special Olympics Illinois community—a place where every child is seen, supported, and celebrated.
The Young Athletes program introduces children ages 2 to 7, with and without intellectual disabilities, to the joy of movement and the basics of sports. In doing so, it helps build physical coordination, social confidence, and lifelong friendships among participants.
This summer, the program takes center stage at the Young Athletes Culminating Event, held on Friday, June 20 at Hancock Stadium during the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games in Normal.
Finding a First Step and a Community
Amanda Workman first got involved in the Young Athletes program when her son Waylon, a Young Athlete with an intellectual disability, was just three years old.
“We were looking for a way for him to burn off some energy. He was full of life,” Amanda shared. “Coach Diane invited us to practice alongside traditional Special Olympics Illinois athletes. Even though we stayed off to the side at first, we were welcomed completely.”
What started as a practical outlet quickly became something more. Amanda eventually became a registered coach and learned more about the mission behind the program: to support children with and without intellectual disabilities through inclusive play and skill-building activities.
“Physically, it’s helped Waylon build coordination and confidence,” she said. “But emotionally and socially, that’s where we’ve seen the biggest growth. He feels accepted. He feels proud. He lights up when he sees the police officers who volunteer. Their kindness and support show him that the whole community is cheering him on.”
Amanda and her family have returned year after year, forming strong bonds with other families in the program.
“The kids grow up together, and so do we as parents. It’s become a community of people who understand and celebrate each other.”
Now, Waylon is starting to transition into other, traditional Special Olympics Illinois activities, carrying with him everything he gained through Young Athletes.
A Dual Perspective: Parent and Officer
Shannon Beauchamp, a member of the Young Athletes/LETR Committee, brings a powerful dual perspective to her role—as both a parent and a law enforcement officer involved in the Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR).
Her journey with Special Olympics Illinois began more than a decade ago when she attended LETR fundraisers with her agency. But it was not until she attended the Illinois LETR Kickoff Conference and saw a Young Athletes presentation that she truly felt the connection.
“Having a child diagnosed with autism really puts things into perspective,” Shannon said. “Seeing how much it meant for him to be included—on his terms and at his level—meant the world to us.”
The Young Athletes program has created a unique opportunity for both of her children. Her son benefits from the inclusive and sensory-aware environment, and her daughter—who does not have an intellectual disability—gets to participate alongside him as a Peer Partner.
“She takes his hand and helps him where he struggles. Watching them grow together is incredible,” Shannon said. “It’s emotional as a parent. You see other families cheering on their athletes, and then it’s your own child out there. It’s powerful.”
Shannon also sees firsthand how meaningful officer involvement can be.
“You go to your first LETR event and it pulls you in,” she said. “The hugs, the high-fives, just showing up makes a difference. And when families open up and share their journeys, you realize the events are about so much more than sports. The support is real. It stays with you.”
Looking Ahead
Both Amanda and Shannon have witnessed the lasting impact that the Young Athletes program has on children and families. For Amanda, the upcoming Summer Games is a chance to see Waylon participate in both Young Athletes and transition activities. For Shannon, the opportunity to support other families is a reminder of why this work matters.
“We keep coming back because we found something much bigger than we expected,” Amanda said. “It’s a program, yes—but it’s also a purpose, a support system, and a celebration of every child’s potential.”
The Young Athletes Culminating Event is held at the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games. Summer Games is held June 20-22 in Normal, Ill.
Learn more about the 2025 Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games.
As Shannon said best, “These events are set up for your child. They don’t have to do anything they’re not comfortable doing. The joy you’ll see on their face—it will melt your heart. Take the chance.”
