A Special Sponsorship

The Special Olympics World Summer Games concluded months ago. But the spirit lives on. It lives in the spectators who watched, teary-eyed, as athletes strove to overcome tremendous obstacles. In the coaches and volunteers who selflessly devoted themselves to these athletes and their endeavors. And in the athletes whose very lives have been bettered by the competition.

The look on her face says it all ... success, self-confidence, pride in a job well done. Judy Nutter had traveled from her North Carolina home to the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland, in search of a cycling medal. She found that – and a whole lot more.

"This was a dream for me for a lifetime," says Nutter. The 43-year-old cyclist says the competition was everything she hoped it would be: the joy of being cheered on by schoolchildren and spectators, the thrill of intense international competition, and an emotional medal ceremony from which she walked away a winner.

Both as an athlete – having competed in a variety of sports – and as a volunteer, Nutter's years of involvement in Special Olympics have enabled her to surpass her own expectations and continue to learn and grow.

Nutter is one of a million athletes who benefit from the Special Olympics movement, which was founded on the belief that people with mental retardation can – with proper instruction and encouragement – learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports.

And SAS stands behind that philosophy. A supporter of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games and other Special Olympics programs, SAS is working to empower athletes like Nutter. Through worldwide employee volunteerism, corporate financial contributions, and donations of technology and time, SAS proudly supports the spirit of the Games.

Judy Nutter
Cyclist in the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games

READ MORE...

Access the SAS-powered athlete database to get information on the more than 6,500 athletes that competed in the Games

Access to Athlete Information
In 1999, SAS set out to make a difference to some very special athletes and their families. With a Gold Sponsorship of the Special Olympics World Summer Games – held in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina – SAS launched the largest volunteer effort in the history of the company. For these Games, SAS also launched a participant database populated with athlete stats.

For the 2003 Games, SAS again created an athlete database, enabling members of the media as well as friends, family and fans to access athlete information via the Web.

"The best way to understand the Special Olympics movement is to learn more about the athletes," says Mary Davis, CEO of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. Davis says the database makes athlete information easily available and tells the true story of the Special Olympics. "We are truly grateful to SAS for providing this key resource."

This story appears in the Fourth Quarter 2003 issue of