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Episode 11 - Service for a Purpose
3 Plays20 days ago
Service takes many forms in law enforcement. In this episode of Breaking & Adventuring, we sit down with Katie Margolis of Special Olympics Colorado and Deputy Sherri Cole to discuss how the Adams County Sheriff’s Office supports Special Olympics athletes. From the Polar Plunge to the upcoming Plane Pull, deputies push themselves to the limit to raise funds that help athletes compete nationwide. Katie and Deputy Cole share how this mission resonates deeply with law enforcement and holds special meaning for ACSO.
Our agency is working hard to raise money for the Special Olympics Colorado Plane Pull on Saturday, Aug. 23. If you wish to donate, please visit:
https://bit.ly/ACSOPlanePull
Do you have questions? We want to answer them. Send us an email to CommunityConnections@adcogov.org.
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Overview
00:00:22
Speaker
Welcome back everyone. Welcome to another episode of Breaking and Adventuring. I'm your host, Commander Adam Sherman. It's new for me to say. And today we'll be visiting with Katie Margolis from Special Olympics Colorado and ah Deputy Sherry Cole, who's one of our liaisons for the Adams County Sheriff's Office at Special Olympics. So thanks for being here.
00:00:38
Speaker
Thanks for having me. um And we're just going to go into talk about the partnerships between Special Olympics and and law enforcement in general, and then specific to Colorado and even to the North Denver Metro area here. So Um, first just what do you do with Special Olympics? a little bit your background, who you are and how you got involved with Special Olympics.
00:00:53
Speaker
Absolutely. So um like you said, my name is Katie and I've been with Special Olympics for only about 10 months. um But Special Olympics holds a really dear place in my heart. I have an eight-year-old niece who I'm fairly certain will run the world someday. She has Down syndrome and is nonverbal autistic. And so get it when she was born, kind of figuring out what resources she would have and found Special Olympics, fell in love, started volunteering and...
00:01:19
Speaker
Here you are. Here I am. Awesome. so my role is LETR event manager. So LETR, law enforcement torch run, um is a worldwide movement. um Law enforcement is the number one fundraiser for Special Olympics. It's the largest, yeah, it's the largest grassroots fundraising movement. um Just last year worldwide, law enforcement did $66 million dollars of fundraising for Special Olympics.
00:01:44
Speaker
Here in Colorado, it was just over 1.5 million. So Um, yeah, it's an end. We're part of that movement. It's a huge partnership. And so that is my entire job is law enforcement events and relationships and that partnership.
00:01:58
Speaker
Awesome.
Personal Stories and Involvement
00:01:59
Speaker
What about for you, Sherry? How'd you get involved special Olympics? ah Well, I was on the Community Connections team. You were my sergeant at the time. And um actually, i have to, you know, praise Deputy Shannon Hines, Senior Deputy.
00:02:14
Speaker
She um was the liaison for the Sheriff's Office for the Special Olympics. And between a previous agency with the Craig Westerling, she did, um, she did special Olympics for over 10 years and, you know, she's got a young family, so she's been working on that.
00:02:34
Speaker
So I started to partner with her and, um, fell in love. Um, I do
Mission and Impact of Special Olympics Colorado
00:02:39
Speaker
have children with special needs in my family. And so, um I never really thought to get them involved in the special Olympics, but I absolutely adore working with the athletes and it's been amazing.
00:02:53
Speaker
The most remarkable experience. So I love it. Yeah. Yeah. Talk about like tapping into just pure joy is amazing. Like I've played in some like the unified like soccer games and stuff, for but just anytime like the the athletes are just what a joy to be around.
00:03:09
Speaker
So it's absolutely. They really are the most poor the most excited for life. And they amp us up every single event that we do. yeah They ah bring the energy. They give hugs, high fives.
00:03:22
Speaker
They're amazing. Yeah. So for those that might not be familiar, can you just help explain a little bit behind them about the mission of Special Olympics in Colorado and and these partnerships and and what the support goes to?
00:03:33
Speaker
Absolutely. So Special Olympics specifically here in Colorado has over 28,000 athletes. These are from our young athletes starting at the age of two, and we have athletes into their nineties. Wow. So both ends. Yeah. So our athletes are adults and children with some sort of intellectual disability and Special Olympics serves to give them an all inclusive sports experience, health screenings, leadership opportunities, education opportunities at no cost to them.
00:04:01
Speaker
So we are in all four regions of Colorado. We have 22 sports. And then like you just mentioned with the unified, we also have all of our unified partners, which are people without intellectual disabilities who choose to play unified.
00:04:17
Speaker
Yeah. And it's what a great way to just give experience on both ends of just being around people who are different than who might be in your nuclear family or in. Absolutely. that's That's awesome. I've done some unified cycling and it is hard to keep up.
00:04:30
Speaker
We've got some fierce competitors on our teams. Well, you mentioned like, what are some of the highlights of like those 22 different sports, like some of the diversity sports and then, um, you know, how how do you guys accommodate all the different ability levels?
00:04:42
Speaker
Absolutely. So we have four seasons, which is pretty unique to Colorado. Not every state does have four seasons. um And our 22 sports is some of the highest in the U.S. s that we have the most variety of sports. So everything from our golf to bowling, softball, powerlifting, swimming, and then your winter sports, snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding. Yeah.
00:05:09
Speaker
ah Pretty much every athlete I meet, I'm just... making conversation like, Oh, do what do you do? i do basketball. then And then they write off like eight other events. yeah I'm like, Holy cow. Like, wow. and Cause like regular, you know, all athletes, they practice, they do, they have to do so many individual things to get ready for those specialized events. So yeah ah doing all the different events, it's it's a lot of dedication on, on both ends for the coaches and the athletes.
00:05:30
Speaker
The most athletic thing I have ever done is work for a special Olympics. So I am in awe of our athletes. That's close. Yeah. That's
Heartwarming Stories and Athlete Highlights
00:05:36
Speaker
yeah. Um, and what's, or can you share a story of just like the, a journey or athlete you've met that really embodies the the spirit of the special Olympics Colorado?
00:05:50
Speaker
Now I've met a lot of really incredible athletes and it would be hard to single one out, but I will say that this past summer game, so in June we have our state summer games in Grand Junction and it is hoot and a half. It is so fun. Um, so we have our opening ceremonies and at the opening ceremonies, one of our young athletes comes in and, um, she brings the torch, uh, she, or this year, she brings in the torch with one of our law enforcement officers and starts off the ceremony and it's
00:06:21
Speaker
adorable because typically they're, you know, three, four or five years old, but then also it's just like a really cool moment for this young person to have such an impact and start the games. And this year our theme was superheroes.
00:06:35
Speaker
And so our young athlete, her name was Fiona. Uh, one of the greatest little humans I've ever met. um But when I asked her, what is your superhero name? Cause everyone had their fun superhero name.
00:06:48
Speaker
She goes, I'm autism girl. And my superpower is my autism. And she takes off in her Cape and starts running around and um is just such a mental shift for some people who look at somebody um who is autistic and says,
00:07:04
Speaker
Oh, I'm so sorry. And it's like, you know, these are the, some of the greatest people I know. These are some of the happiest people and hardest working and tough, fierce competitors that I've ever met.
00:07:15
Speaker
Yeah. And what a great mental and like psychological shift to be like, no, this isn't holding me back. This is something I'm working with and powering through and like embracing. Yeah. To have an amazing life. What about you share any amazing stories or journeys that you've seen of any of the athletes that you've met along the way? um So we went to conference this last year and there have been some serious strides with law enforcement that kind of blew my mind.
00:07:38
Speaker
And so I know Aurora PD has a young man that actually works with them and works at ah their office and he does um copies and he talks to their, um their cadets.
00:07:54
Speaker
And he he works out with them. He leads a lot of their um you know workouts. And i honestly, i have been blown away by every one of them that I've met.
00:08:06
Speaker
The athletes are so, ah they're so they're so sweet. And they all want to hug you and they all want to teach you something. And they all want to tell you about playing bocce ball and yeah what have you. But um in general, I'm impressed with that this um partnership is actually bringing um these folks into our arena.
00:08:30
Speaker
And I would say that young man is probably one of one of the the young men that i ah really, his story resonates with me because I would love to see that happen across the nation.
00:08:43
Speaker
And you, you bring up a good point just way we are in society too. Like there's a lot of, it was just assumptions made of kind of the conflict or the misunderstanding of, if I show up as a law enforcement officer and there's somebody with special needs or emotional needs that they're going to be treated harsher, there might be a miss ah handling of the situation just because of their, know, what they,
00:09:05
Speaker
how they present. And so I think this partnership specifically really helps knocks them both those barriers on both sides. So the families get to know us and the athletes get to know us and that we're people too, we're the coaches, we're, we're out there events supporting them, but then we get to know and understand a lot of the different ways they present and, and under different types of scenarios too. So I think it's just an incredible way for both um to just really break down some barriers and get some good connection.
00:09:33
Speaker
So, with
Torch Run History and Law Enforcement Partnership
00:09:35
Speaker
the special Olympics, Colorado, if you could just briefly, I'm just about the, a little bit about how it started the origin and then how it's evolved over the years to best accommodate that, like the athletes and their families.
00:09:44
Speaker
Yes. So law enforcement torch runs specifically in Colorado. If you look at this amazing shirt right here, we just had an anniversary last year. um yeah, so, thirty years um, law enforcement torch run has been in Colorado specifically for 40 years.
00:09:59
Speaker
And it's really amazing the strides that it has taken and what a big partnership it is now looking at, you know starting with just a couple of polar plunges and now having nine polar plunges and a huge plane pole and torch runs across the state.
00:10:16
Speaker
And then I spend a lot of my time talking to law enforcement officers about how Our job is to fundraise and um my team and i are always looking at how can we best support our athletes?
00:10:31
Speaker
But then also just that joy and connection piece. A lot of people overlook that and they say, you know, oh, we have another fundraising event with Special Olympics. Let's get our team together. And then we have our summer games where law enforcement presents the medals.
00:10:44
Speaker
yeah And it's just such a special moment. um You all are amazing. And I have so much respect for the work that you do for protecting and serving. And we have a population that needs to be protected and served.
00:10:56
Speaker
And it is, I sometimes feel like, um, a rock star when athletes give me a hug and then somebody from law enforcement walks in and I am nothing. They will run past me to come and high five you and hug you. And they just have so much love and respect.
00:11:11
Speaker
Um, and so it's a cool partnership, seeing that joy and connection piece. That's like how it is for us. We're out somewhere and like, we're like, all right, cool. then firefighters show up and then we're nah. Well, I'm the one on the totem pole, so. um And you mentioned a good point too.
00:11:27
Speaker
So the fundraising is just not another fundraising event or it doesn't go to like this giant conglomerate corporation. But like these are families who you know a lot of their income, for especially parents and stuff, goes towards medical needs and equipment and things like that. So this fundraising directly supports these athletes so they can just have this normal scenario of being being athletic, being out, and being you know normal part of of of American society, of playing sports and having fun and being athletic.
00:11:57
Speaker
a person. Absolutely. Yeah. So that's, ah that's something that doesn't fall short on me where I'm like, you know, absolutely. These families have been through so much. Like we definitely can support them anyway.
00:12:08
Speaker
And so it's, it's incredible to see them, especially in the joy, as you mentioned, just the high fives is, And showing off their medals, especially when we're doing stuff like tip a cop and they're wearing their medals and talking to everybody that comes out at a restaurant about what they do is incredible.
00:12:22
Speaker
um Well, from your so your perspective, how does participating in the Special Olympics transform the athletes both on and off the field? So we talked about that a little bit, but you know just some of the kids that you've gotten to know.
00:12:35
Speaker
I think that there is in all stages of life and all ages, there is a really cool magic that happens with teammates.
00:12:48
Speaker
every person deserves the chance to be a teammate. um We do a really cool series at Special Olympics called Am An Athlete Videos. Our marketing team puts them together and highlights an athlete. too We recently highlighted an athlete.
00:13:01
Speaker
And when we asked him, you know, what makes you such an incredible teammate? And he's like, I'm always there for my team. And whether we win or lose, we had a good game and we worked together and we came together as a team and made something really cool happen.
00:13:16
Speaker
And I think that that's seen off the field too, where
Debunking Myths and Community Engagement
00:13:20
Speaker
our athletes are given these leadership opportunities, whether that's just a little bit more confidence because their teammates are boosting them up or going through our athlete university and joining our, um,
00:13:32
Speaker
uh, young professionals board. We have athletes that are on our young professionals board. So giving them the chance to be leaders, um, our athletes are natural born leaders. They're absolutely incredible. And sometimes they haven't been given that opportunity.
00:13:46
Speaker
And so I think the magic of special Olympics is what do you want to be and how can we help you achieve these goals and these dreams and not putting any limitations on it?
00:13:56
Speaker
Yeah. And I think too, like the lot of these athletes, they're, they're students, they're in the workforce. They're, you it's even leaders within their own family having this as that foundation to where, how they can apply it in different areas of life throughout their life is very important too. So that's amazing.
00:14:12
Speaker
I mean, what have you seen? Well, especially with our typical events, um i you know, you get some of these athletes that are very shy and they are being forced to not force. They, they choose, they choose to be there. But when they go to a table, like there's that, that moment of, they have to push themselves to have the confidence to talk to strangers and,
00:14:37
Speaker
um And some of them have zero zero concerns with speaking to folks. yeah Some of them have have a really hard time talking to folks that they don't know.
00:14:48
Speaker
And it is wonderful to watch them across a night gain confidence and ah know what they're going to say and be excited to tell people about what they do and what they're working towards and show them all their medals. Some of them have like 20 medals around their neck and I love it. You can hear them coming from a mile away. Oh yeah. Their medals weigh what they do. Yeah. They totally should be on a Wheaties box. Like just, yeah, full display.
00:15:12
Speaker
But you know, um, We've had moments where we were pulled away to do something at a typical event and you watch these kids rally together and they, they will manage an event and they know what they're doing and they work together and they,
00:15:30
Speaker
lift each other up and they do such good work. Yeah. it It's, it's just, it's awesome to see, you know, to know that, you know, something can happen and I have to walk away from this and these, these, you know, athletes are going to rally around each other. They're going to,
00:15:46
Speaker
get through it and they're going to be proud of it. And they should be because they're just, they're cool people. i know this most recent one, we had a, one of the athletes, like he was hustling his little tail off for even the fact he was making their own staff look bad where he's just like, all right, y'all. And he's clearing off tables. Like, okay, look, he started seating people. And I was like, yeah give this man a job. yeah It was great. But yeah, they, they love um those opportunities.
00:16:10
Speaker
Um, can you describe a little bit of the impact you've seen just on families and what special Olympics Colorado has meant to them? Absolutely. Uh, we actually recently just last month had our breakfast with champions, which is a breakfast that we do down in Colorado Springs to celebrate the Southeast region. And we had a parent speak at the event and I don't think there was a dry eye in the place. And, um,
00:16:33
Speaker
I love my job. I have the job where I get to cry every day and it's celebrated. yeah It's great. Yeah. You're like, everything's great. Yeah. yeahp um Happiest place on earth. Happy tears. Disney doesn't hold a candle to our office. um But this mom talked about how when she um found out that her son had an intellectual disability, he was young. She felt really siloed. And, you know, you go to these, you want your child to have children.
00:16:58
Speaker
the opportunities that everyone else does, but you worry about bullying and then you worry about going to these sporting events. And she, it really made an impact on me when she talked about how she'd go to a sporting event and didn't feel like anybody was rooting for her child.
00:17:13
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And that's something I haven't really thought about. um I am personally not a parent. um And like I mentioned, I didn't do sports. um And so thinking about how lonely it must be for a parent to want the best for their kids and want their kids to be included and then even feel from the adult side that nobody is there celebrating the milestones with them until she found Special Olympics.
00:17:37
Speaker
And she ended her speech with, um so thank you for standing on the sidelines with me. And everybody cried. um but it's just such a cool impact on the parents to say, you are not alone. There is a community here that is ready to cheer on your kid and love your kid for exactly who they are and build a team around their abilities.
00:18:01
Speaker
And, It's a really cool thing to see and seeing the younger siblings, um, get involved, older siblings becoming unified partners. Um, it's a lifestyle.
00:18:12
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, and, and as a parent, I mean, what kind of impact have you either seen as you participate or even just experienced yourself? Um, I'll actually divert because we have, we have a couple of deputies, um,
00:18:27
Speaker
We have a lot of deputies who have siblings, children. You know, we've got um Deputy Garner. His brother um has been a part of the Special Olympics forever. And you see. Yeah, Mays too. Mays. So many. So many of them. And you see a kindness.
00:18:45
Speaker
in those deputies that, um, and, uh, a warmth when you see them around other athletes or we're out at these community events. And, um, you know, I i have a child who i never, you know, I never got involved with, with the special Olympics, but I have that unique, uh, ability to have patience.
00:19:09
Speaker
with a group of people and, and you really see that sort of heartwarming demeanor in folks, deputies that, that get to deal with athletes on a regular basis and become a part of their lives.
00:19:25
Speaker
So i I think it's amazing. That's all I got. And that's it next. Yeah. And understanding you've been with the organization for about 10 months or so, but just from what you've learned, how did the relationship between special Olympics Colorado and just law enforcement agencies and and officers begin in the first place? Like, how did that just kind of evolve?
00:19:47
Speaker
It's actually a pretty cool story. So it started in the early 1980s in Kansas. so um The 1900s, as my kids would say. Yes, it makes me feel very old. I'm from the 1900s. So in the early 80s, there was a state game happening. And so the Special Olympics in Kansas had reached out to the police chief and said,
00:20:11
Speaker
um We just need your support. We are going to be running the torch down to have our opening ceremonies and we're going to need your support with road closures and safety for our athletes. And um this chief, he speaks every year at an LATR conference and he says, you know, this wasn't my idea. This was my officer's ideas.
00:20:29
Speaker
But together, these six officers and this amazing chief, Chief Richard LeMunion, said, you know, we would love to help with this, but can we run with your athletes? And so they said, you we would like to be there with them and one officer, one athlete, run each section and we'll raise a bit of money. And it raised about $320. And looking back, I think that any nonprofit in the world, if you could say, hey, in the 80s, you're going take $320 fundraiser. And in 2024 last year, you're going raise $66 million. Any nonprofit would jump at that partnership. And we are just so lucky that you're in our family and on our corner. And, it's a, it's a really cool partnership. Yeah.
Future and Global Influence of Special Olympics
00:21:11
Speaker
Oh, what a great idea. And yeah. And just following that lead, just it's grown and grown every year. It's been and incredible. Um, so what do events like the torch run? And you can explain a little bit about what each one are for those that don't know, but like events like the torch run, polar plunge, plane pool mean to the athletes and to the law enforcement officers that participate.
00:21:29
Speaker
I think that the, all of the events are such a great equalizer and it's a great time for law enforcement and athletes to be together on a team and go through something. You know, whether that's a feat of strength pulling 130,000 pound airplane in the plane pole, or if it's a feat of strength getting in very cold water at the but plan polar plunge. Polar plunge is exactly what it you think it is. Yeah. yeah Um, but it's cool to see the community come together. um This was my first polar plunge season as I am newer to the team. And um it's so cool seeing athletes and their families and their schoolmates and law enforcement. And everybody is kind of taken down to the same level when you're jumping in very cold water.
00:22:13
Speaker
um And so from the athletes that I've talked to, I think it's just cool seeing the community come around them and support them. um And when you do something out of the ordinary, getting in the cold water, pulling a really big plane, running a torch through downtown Denver, yeah you get attention and it brings light and ah um understanding to the cause and lets athletes just share their story.
00:22:39
Speaker
Yeah. And, and you've seen it from our end, like what have, what impact have you noticed that it's had this on deputies and officers alike that participate? So um we have a lot of participation from our academy.
00:22:51
Speaker
um And I love that because I think it is sort of that beginning of their career and they get that opportunity ah to look and go, this is a cause that I want to be a participant in.
00:23:07
Speaker
And, um, I think when we get out to these events and some of our deputies who, you know, they, they don't always see the greatest things. They don't always deal with the most pleasant people and they're getting hugs and it's laughs and,
00:23:22
Speaker
You know, i always with our torch run, I bring the Richard Simmons vibes and I'm out there with music, you know, and it's just an opportunity to you know, involve themselves in a different unity, but also just be lighthearted and happy and see that.
00:23:42
Speaker
what they're doing for fun is actually benefiting a lot of people. yeah And, it's such a cool community project when our Academy gets to go out and do that. So, yeah.
00:23:55
Speaker
And just just right from the get go, like this is there's more beyond just, you know books and citations and learning, you know, uh, statutes and things like that. But yeah, there's more to this career.
00:24:06
Speaker
and the in the engagement with various elements the community. Now, is there a special or significant event or even like an athlete that has really lit up to her like, wow, this is why I got involved in this that you that you can think of?
00:24:23
Speaker
um For me, um I would say our torch run that we've done here. and Now, i I do want us to participate in the the larger one in Denver. Let's go big. we we Yeah, go big or go home, right? Great.
00:24:38
Speaker
I'm thrilled. andre Sure. yeah So, um but we've, we've had, we've run our own torch run here every year through Brighton, Colorado. And um that event, ah Chief McKinney ah used to plan that event and he was so excited and um he has passed that excitement down to me.
00:24:58
Speaker
And I just, I love it. We get a couple of athletes out and they run with us. And it's a very slow paced run. But the first year I did it, um i reached out to all the local schools because Chief McKinney used to do that. And his wife used to work at one of the schools.
00:25:15
Speaker
And all the kids would come on the side of the road and like high five. And we'd give out, you know, ah cards, canine cards and stickers and all this other stuff. And it was just, ah you know, getting our community to celebrate these kiddos as they run, you know, through Brighton.
00:25:35
Speaker
and celebrate you know the law enforcement torch run and the special olympics so yeah tons of smiles all around smiles everywhere yeah yeah i think that event has really like it just it sucked me in yeah well then even love that got like a giant inflatable finish line and confetti you know so even had deputies come out of the jail that's where we finished it and they all you know popped their little confetti cannons and stuff for the athletes it really fun yeah um Avon does their color run or the Eagle County color run. So their torch run is ah color run and yeah it is, i think my teeth were orange for days because I wouldn't stop smiling and I had chalk everywhere.
00:26:13
Speaker
ah yeah Mesa County in Grand
Community Involvement and Personal Growth
00:26:15
Speaker
Junction, they do theirs as a, um, uh, like a glow stick run. It's called their glow and games. So it's fun seeing different cities and different agencies come together. Yeah. That's cool. Yeah.
00:26:27
Speaker
Now what is the future hold for special Olympics Colorado with some of these events? Like where do you see it going in the next, i don't know, five years or so? there The limit does not exist. It is, um catch my mean girl reference.
00:26:39
Speaker
um It is amazing. um We have agencies that are always coming to us with new ideas. So we have our plane pull coming up. But a few years ago, um Durango said, you know, that's a so long drive for our officers to come up to DIA.
00:26:54
Speaker
We're going to do a train pull. And so this year will be our third annual train pull. Last year it raised $10,000. um So it's really cool for me to see law enforcement coming up with these amazing events.
00:27:06
Speaker
um We have kind of going back to your last question on like what event really makes an impact. um We have a unified Academy coming up and that's where multiple agencies get involved and they lead our athletes through kind of an abridged police Academy for a day.
00:27:23
Speaker
And it's, um so it's coming up at the end of September. So it'll be Douglas County, Castle Rock PD, Arapahoe County, um Jeffco, Denver, a lot of different agencies come together to put on this event. That's cool.
00:27:35
Speaker
But it's really cool on both sides for understanding. So as you, earlier you were mentioning how, The law enforcement torture run is such a cool partnership because it promotes understanding on both sides.
00:27:49
Speaker
The athletes understand where you guys are, what you are doing. They know you, they love you, they trust you. And then you get to understand the athletes and unified Academy is really amazing. And that's something that Colorado does very well every year at our international conference, Colorado presents it. And every time States come up to me and they're like we want to do this.
00:28:11
Speaker
Yep. The team in Australia was like, this is great. i was like, I will happily fly to Australia too. If I must. Yeah. To show you something that the law enforcement does and I don't if you need a law enforcement representative I sacrifice myself as tribute to go to Australia. You are you're so kind.
00:28:28
Speaker
um But um this will be my first unified Academy, but hearing stories of previous academies the story that stuck out was they get to do a traffic stop. Oh, that's cool. Yeah, so but the athletes get to do it from both sides and So they get to experience if you are driving, because a lot of our athletes do drive. They live independently. They own cars.
00:28:48
Speaker
um And I think for anybody, getting a ticket is terrifying. um And so when you see those lights and somebody is coming up to you and you are getting pulled over or you're at this traffic stop, here's what to expect.
00:29:00
Speaker
yeah You know, I know it seems really scary at the time and your heart is pounding, but this is what they're going to ask for. Let's be prepared for that. But then on the flip side, they get to do the stop and they get to understand for you and your law enforcement agencies, um, how scary a traffic stop can be. You don't know who is going to be there. You don't know what you're going into.
00:29:22
Speaker
And so for athletes, I think it's cool for them to experience from your side that there is also that ambiguity. Yeah. And it just promotes a lot of understanding. That's cool. What a great idea. Yeah.
00:29:34
Speaker
Um, let's see, I forgot my question. There it is. Um, so how can community community members who aren't either families, um, or, or athletes or law enforcement get involved with special Olympics in Colorado? How can they support the cause?
00:29:48
Speaker
Absolutely. So they can go onto our website, which is specialolympicscoforcolorado.org. Put that right down here. Perfect. This website right here. um And get involved, volunteer. They can volunteer at any sporting events or planning committees.
00:30:07
Speaker
um But from a law enforcement side, the events that we have are open to the public. Yep. The polar plunge is not just athletes and special Olympics employees and law enforcement. Um, everybody can get involved. The Aurora polar plunge this year had almost 800 people.
00:30:24
Speaker
ah So it's a really big event. The plane pole that is coming up next weekend, um, already has 1700 people registered. So it's a great chance for people to get involved and see the magic of this partnership firsthand and join us for some really unique and really amazing events.
00:30:40
Speaker
ah What great team building for business owners and CEOs to come and make a donation and get a team together. No, we've had that, like even for our Torch Runs just through through Brighton, we've had just families come together and put together a team and donate or yeah people who hear about it through you know our social media posts and things like that or any means that they'll just show up and we're like, absolutely, here, here's a shirt, join us. let's yeah you We'll go for the runs. That's awesome. um How has...
00:31:10
Speaker
this work impacted your own life outside of work away from the badge and the uniform? Um, I mean, outside of work, because ah oftentimes when I'm participating in these events, I'm not in uniform unless we're doing a tip cop event.
00:31:26
Speaker
Um, and, I mean, i do take note of, of you know somebody out in the community and, you know, going to Deons or what have You you know, there are a lot of of folks that are independent. They do drive and they do work a job.
00:31:44
Speaker
And I just, you know, I like to give them ah added thanks for, you know, their efforts every day because they make our, I think they make our lives better. um They are a very stark reminder that, you know,
00:31:59
Speaker
it does not matter what lot in life you were given. Like, you're not here that long. God doesn't give us that long on earth. And we, you know, sometimes we get caught up in our our stuff and you see these folks that are just happy.
00:32:13
Speaker
happy about life. yeah And so I think it definitely is a, is a bit of an attitude adjustment. Like just be happy. Yeah. Enjoy what you've got. And I think for me too, like I definitely, there's a lot of things, whether people have physical ah disabilities or, or emotional or, or, or intellectual, intellectual. Yeah.
00:32:34
Speaker
um But the, just things that we take for granted that we just do without even thinking out of it, that it takes a lot of effort for these people, but they still do it. They still get up, they get a job, they do it. There's things that where, you know, especially in our line of work where we go some of these calls are you with people who are like, yeah, I don't have a job. I don't do this. i don't know that. Well, you are.
00:32:53
Speaker
Look at these athletes as examples. They're grabbing the world, ah you know, and taking it by the horns. So I think it can be inspirational to participate in a lot of these events. It's just incredible. But yeah, there's a lot of things where i'm just like, wow, they are so happy. And there's just something I take for granted on a daily basis. So i've I've definitely switched my mindset too.
00:33:11
Speaker
Well, and honestly, we we don't go without having um folks without developmental disabilities that end up in jail. um And it does, it gives you, even as a deputy dealing with someone in jail, because that's, you know, where I work right now, um they, you know, it gives you that unique ability to connect with somebody who might have a different perspective on life. So, yeah.
00:33:39
Speaker
Um, so as we kind of wrap up here, are there any assumptions or myths that about the special Olympics you'd like to debunk or things that you've heard that you're like, no, actually here's, you know, the real story behind it.
00:33:51
Speaker
Oh man, that's a great question. um I think. And this is just very much my personal feelings. um I think that there is a common misconception that Special Olympics is all participation trophies.
00:34:05
Speaker
And yes, everybody can participate and we want everybody to be involved. But I have seen some pretty incredible feats working for Special Olympics.
00:34:16
Speaker
Um, you both were at our state kickoff conference this year for law enforcement and for the people watching this that did not have the pleasure of joining for that event. Um, we had power lifting demonstration yeah and our power lifters came and, um, Isaac is lifting 620 pounds.
00:34:36
Speaker
And um yeah, it was it was cool. So I, at that point, um had walked to the back and yeah was kind of just hanging out with some law enforcement officers that I knew since I was in January, very new to the job. yeah um And just overhearing people being like, man,
00:34:52
Speaker
I can't lift half that. I'm like, I can't lift a sixth of that. um And these athletes are incredible and they train hard. And you get these athletes that are doing nine sports, but they're not doing them willy-nilly. They are giving themselves fully to this.
00:35:08
Speaker
um We, it back in February, had our world games and tour in Italy and Colorado had two athletes qualify That is cool. Yeah. So Catherine and Ryan went for snowboarding and skiing, respectively, um and watching a lot of the um games were televised. And so we always had it on in the office and watching Catherine snowboard and whip around these games.
00:35:33
Speaker
Like the moguls and stuff. And and the, uh, it was incredible. My heart would stop until she was done, ah snowboarding. Um, but it's, we've got some fierce competitors. Um, I think I've said that a couple of times yeah and they are strong and athletic and determined and special Olympics doesn't just happen. They make it happen.
00:35:53
Speaker
Absolutely. And then for you, if a fellow deputy or an officer that, you know, if they're on the fence about volunteering, what's something you could tell them that would kind of bring them over to get involved? Oh, it'll change their world.
00:36:04
Speaker
Honestly. um I, and I, you know, I speak at briefings and I, you know, I try and get um involvement and I know that for a lot of us, you know, we work a lot of hours and, um and it's easy to get overwhelmed um and,
00:36:24
Speaker
and burn out if, if you're doing too much overtime and what have you, but I will tell you, um i have told people, you know, it it's almost like a relief. It's a, it's a lighthearted event and it really, it's something, you know, because we don't, we don't get paid for our events.
00:36:46
Speaker
Um, and so you come out to these plane poles and polar plunges, but it, if you're feeling burnout, it is a great opportunity to go and have people rally around each other and be excited and laugh.
00:37:03
Speaker
And it's, it's a, it's great. I, I think that it will absolutely change anybody's life being around such happy people who work so hard all the time.
00:37:14
Speaker
Um, Yeah. I think it's, it's like a little, little brain break. Yeah. For me, it just kind of refills that emotional cup of like why I even got into this career in the first place, being able to get involved in and just touch a little bit of that when I can.
00:37:30
Speaker
Well, Katie, Sherry, thank you so much for being here and and discussing this with us. And we look forward to coming out for the next event, next event's plane pool. And then as as they come about, know we hope just continue to help help grow and grow the partnership as well. So thank you. Well, thank you. And thank you for being a part of our family. All right.
00:37:47
Speaker
um Well, for everyone else, you can follow us on all the major social media platforms, download our app, and you can email any ah questions that you may have or topic ideas at communityconnections at adcogov.org. Until next time, thanks.