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The Mission of Special Olympics New Hampshire is to provide year-round participation in sports training and athletic competition in a variety of well-coached Olympic-type sports for all individuals with mental challenges by providing athletes with continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness skills, express courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of talents, skills and friendship with their families, friends, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Description:
Special Olympics New Hampshire (SONH) is designated as a not-for-profit, organization. Special Olympics provides year-round opportunities for sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with mental challenges. Currently more than 3100 participants and thousands of volunteers, family members and friends take part in SONH events. SONH is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are representative of the state demographically, geographically and professionally. They oversee the activities of a small staff of professionals who manage the statewide efforts of thousands of volunteers who conduct the program on a statewide basis. The state is divided into six geographic Special Olympics Regions. The goals of each Region are to bring more potential athletes into the program and to provide more local opportunities for sports training and competition for the athletes in that region. Regional Management teams of volunteers are organized to move towards those goals.

History:
The concept of Special Olympics was born in the early 1960s when Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a day camp for people with mental challenges. She observed the great joy campers experienced when playing sports and resolved to create a program that would meet their physical fitness needs and boost self-esteem. Through Mrs. Shriver's inspiration, 1,000 athletes from 26 states and Canada took part in the First International Special Olympics Games at Soldier's Field in Chicago, IL, July 19-20, 1968. Since then, millions of children and adults with mental challenges have participated in Special Olympics events. In New Hampshire, the first Special Olympics Games were held at Phillips Exeter Academy in 1970. 127 athletes competed in track and field events at those games.

Contact person: Carol Cray, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: 603-624-4911

Address:

650 Elm Street Manchester, NH 03101 (See a map)

Directions:

Downtown Manchester in the office tower connected to the new Radisson Hotel. (Across the street from the Verizon Center)   Nearest Bus Stop: In front of building at 650 Elm St., 1 minutes minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

Name of Executive Director (or equivalent) if not listed above:
	Mike Quinn
Type of organization
	Nonprofit 501(c)3
Is your organization a Health and Human Service agency?
	No