A Note from Margaret Larsen, SOTX President and CEO

October 11, 2012 | Updated: January 29, 2019

By Margaret Larsen

October is a huge month for us here at Special Olympics Texas—we’re busy working on so many events , and I hope you’ll take time to participate in one or more of them, whether you’re an athlete, a coach, a family member, volunteer or friend of SOTX.

Here is an abbreviated list of what’s happening this month at Special Olympics Texas!

  • Area games and competitions will be running all month: see our calendar to find one in your area so you can go cheer on our athletes.
  • Our Walk Across Texas fitness and fundraising activity already has attracted 54 teams, and SOTX athletes are among those who are participating. It’s not too late to sign up!
  • Fall Classic is coming up fast. October 25-27 will be here before we know it. We’ll have more than 1,800 athletes competing in aquatics, bocce, golf and softball, and I hope you’ll make the trek over to Bryan/College Station to watch our amazing athletes.
  • Our four-city Over The Edge campaign kicks off on October 27 in Austin. Did you know that we will have athletes participating in Over The Edge this year? Several of those will rappel in at least three cities. If you have a friend who needs to unleash their inner superhero, this is the event they need to participate in.

October is also “Persons with Disabilities History and Awareness Month” here in Texas. We’re fortunate that Texas chooses to take time each year to celebrate the contributions that individuals with disabilities have made to our state and nation.  

Our athletes’ accomplishments in athletics—and, more importantly, in life—never cease to amaze and affect me. Just this week, I heard about an athlete who was non-verbal before he started participating in Special Olympics activities. After three years, he is now talking. I have to think that the confidence he developed by training and competing helped him become more confident in communicating with others.

Persons with disabilities are some of the bravest people I know. Let us celebrate them every day, not just in October.

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