Tiffany Zimenoff
Female Athlete of the Month
Tiffany has been competing as a Special Olympics Colorado (SOCO) athlete for over 29 years. She competes in several sports, including softball, basketball, flag football, and swimming.
Her favorite memory is being recognized at Empower Field with other SOCO athletes at the University of Colorado vs. Colorado State University football game this past August!
In her spare time, Tiffany enjoys going to the gym and swimming with her roommate Brenda.
Congratulations, Tiffany, on being the October Female Athlete of the Month!
Jason Noe
Male Athlete of the Month
Special Olympics Colorado athlete, Jason Noe, just starting competing this year after being inspired by his brother, Virgil, who has been a SOCO athlete for several years.
One of Jason’s favorite SOCO events was Track and Field Day earlier this year, which allowed him to be around many other great athletes!
Jason likes biking, hiking and learning about new sports! He also enjoys playing with friends and family outside in their fort or on the trampoline. He loves his pets and traveling!
Congratulations, Jason, we are happy to recognize you as the October Male Athlete of the Month!
Dan Jones
Coach of the Month
Dan has been coaching for Special Olympics Colorado in Delta County for 19 years. He is the head coach of bowling, basketball and track and field. He is also the assistant coach for swimming and softball. Dan enjoys coaching because he likes to help people reach their full potential.
Congratulations Dan on being the October Coach of the Month!
The Macleod Family
Family of the Month
The Macleod Family has been involved in Special Olympics for 36 years. They first learned about Special Olympics Colorado through the Littleton school system when Jeremy was in elementary school. When Jeremy was 8 years, old they signed him up for the South Suburban Parks & Recreation swim program for special athletes and he has been an avid participant ever since.
They are currently involved in all seven sports offered by the Southsiders Local Program- bocce, cycling, bowling, basketball, snowshoeing, speed skating, and track & field. Jeremy has also competed in other sports in the past, such as swimming, skiing, softball, and soccer.
Jeremy adores sports of every kind. For Jeremy, Special Olympics has provided him the opportunity to participate in activities that he loves and to be proud of his achievements. It has given him a social life and friends he wouldn’t otherwise have. It has helped him learn how to be a team player and do his best while also helping his fellow athletes.
Jeremy’s parents, Mary and Christopher, have found friendship, a support group, and family in the Special Olympics community. They have had the privilege of cheering on an athlete who has been able to accomplish far more than the doctors said he would be able to do so many years ago. They have also had the privilege of attending and cheering on Jeremy and his fellow USA athletes at two Special Olympic World Games through the years; 2001 Winter Games in Alaska and 2019 Summer Games in Abu Dhabi. As a Coach and Local Program Coordinator, Jeremy’s mother Mary has found so much joy, fulfillment, and purpose in her life.
Their favorite part about Special Olympics Colorado is cheering for Jeremy and his fellow athletes and watching the athletes put their all into competitions and the jubilation and triumph on their faces.
Kelly Kirchmar-Heger & Steve Heger
Volunteers of the Month
Kelly has volunteered with Special Olympics Colorado since 1984, and Steve began his volunteering this Summer, 2019!! They are celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary this year!
Kelly got involved with SOCO during High School when she helped to coach gymnastics, ice skating, skiing, and bowling with her peers.
This year, Steve accompanied Kelly on one of her volunteering expeditions and quickly began to see all of the ways that SOCO touches the lives of its athletes!
When asked why Kelly volunteers, she stated, “I enjoy volunteering for Special Olympics Colorado because I gain so much more than I give. I find the beautiful pearls of wisdom in the moments spent in a day of volunteering. A Special Olympics athlete has a way of putting life into perspective. The lessons I gain from participating with the athletes are endless: enjoying the moment, doing your best, the sense of pride in participating on a team, the determination in achieving your goals. Most importantly, the friendships that I make while volunteering feel like a very, very special family. There is just something about being around the Special Olympics that is so magical. Volunteering for SOCO fills my soul!”
Steve says the answer for why he volunteers is easy. “I do it for the smiles on the participant’s faces!”
Thank you, Kelly and Steve, for all you do for Special Olympics Colorado and congratulations on being October’s Volunteers of the Month!
Orangetheory Fitness
Community Partner of the Month
This is Orangetheory Fitness’ first year being part of the Special Olympics Colorado Community!
They were recently our Stage Sponsor at the 2019 Plane Pull and had 23 teams participate in the event! Their fastest plane pull team, Orangetheory Fort Collins, pulled for 6.063 seconds! They also led workouts and stretches throughout the day to keep plane pull participants fit and ready to pull the plane!
Orangetheory Castle Rock was the top Orangetheory Fitness fundraising team — they raised $3,817 of the collective $46,446 that all Colorado Orangetheory teams raised for Special Olympics Colorado!
Thank you, Orangetheory Fitness, for your support of SOCO and we look forward to partnering more with you in the future!