Special Olympics

There was a time when John Worley could keep up with his boys. They would run together and as Worley slowed with age, his twin boys, Mark and Bruce, kept on running, accelerating out of the back of the pack, striding on to Special Olympics Maryland medals and into manhood. It has been a while since those days, 12 years now. And as Mark and Bruce trained for another Special Olympics Maryland Summer Games, John took on what he calls more of a "transportation and inspiration" role.

Members of the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 116F took part in the 17th annual Special Olympics of Maryland Polar Bear Plunge Jan. 26 at Sandy Point State Park near Annapolis. Lodge members, who are also Aberdeen Proving Ground police officers with the installation's Directorate of Emergency Services, raised $2,015 in support of the event, which supports sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. "It is our goal to support the Special Olympics of Maryland annually in this event," said DES Police Officer Jonathan Wight.

Members of the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 116F took part in the 17th annual Special Olympics of Maryland Polar Bear Plunge Jan. 26 at Sandy Point State Park near Annapolis. Lodge members, who are also Aberdeen Proving Ground police officers with the installation's Directorate of Emergency Services, raised $2,015 in support of the event, which supports sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. "It is our goal to support the Special Olympics of Maryland annually in this event," said DES Police Officer Jonathan Wight.

St. Paul's senior Jordan Surhoff has been swimming almost as long as she can remember. The daughter of Orioles Hall of Famer B.J. Surhoff and former internationally ranked swimmer Polly (Winde) Surhoff, she has three older swimming siblings - Austin, a senior at Texas; Kendall, a freshman at North Carolina; and 20-year-old Mason, who is autistic and swims in the Special Olympics. Surhoff, who turns 18 Saturday, put the perfect ending on her St. Paul's swimming career last weekend by winning two individual events in record time and anchoring two relays to victory as the Gators finished second in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B Conference.

Special Olympics Maryland has named Stacy Alford as an area, county director team. Alford was born and raised in Baltimore County. She moved to Harford County in 2008 and lives in the Forest Hill area of the county. She is a professional with a national strategic fundraising company who will bring her wealth of experience to the Harford County sub-program. As an aunt to her 8-year-old niece, Leah, with Down Syndrome, Alford also brings the value of personal experience with athletes with intellectual disabilities.

For those of you who are worried that Joe Flacco might be overwhelmed and overtired after the birth of his first child, the Ravens quarterback wants you to know that he's sleeping just fine these days. "My wife does a great job. I can't complain. Everything's pretty good," Flacco said Saturday night while appearing at a benefit for the Special Olympics of Maryland at Al Packer Ford in White Marsh.  Flacco's wife, Dana, gave birth to their son, Stephen, on June 13. The child was named after Flacco's father.

Submitting sports notices The deadline for submitting sports copy is 9 a.m. Monday. We prefer email (howardcountysports@patuxent.com). Questions? Call 410-332-6578. Special Olympics Orioles fans who plan to attend games at Camden Yards this year have the opportunity to help Special Olympics athletes at the same time. Special Olympics has obtained vouchers for $15 tickets to all Oriole games except the prime games. Five dollars from each ticket purchased will go to Special Olympics.

People looking for Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding on Sunday, Sept. 30, might try Dunkin' Donuts. That's not a gag. Spaulding and two Maryland State Police officers —Capt. Jim DeWees and Lt. Rob Stryjewski — were scheduled to spend Saturday and Sunday on the roof of the doughnut shop in the 140 Village Shopping Center as part of a drive to collect donations for Special Olympics of Maryland. The effort is part of the national "Cops on Rooftops" fundraiser. The Westminster-area officers had a goal of $7,500 — and vowed that they would not come down until it had been collected.

Several hundred people participated in the Anne Arundel County Special Olympics this weekend.The swimming, track and field events were conducted at the U.S. Naval Academy. Athletes from eight area schools and homes for the disabled competed with help of 100 midshipmen and 175 volunteers.The competition was sponsored by the Annapolis Jaycees and the Naval Academy.The Annapolis Jaycees are still seeking donations forthe games. Donations can be sent to: Jaycees, P.O. Box 248, Annapolis, Md. 21404.

Volunteers sought for Special Olympics Special Olympics Howard County is seeking volunteers for its fall program of sports training and competition. Sports include cycling, figure skating, golf, powerlifting, soccer, tennis and volleyball. Volunteers must be age 16 or older; some opportunities are available for younger volunteers who participate as a group or with adult supervision. An orientation, which is required, is planned from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 11 at Special Olympics Howard County offices, 8970 Route 108, Columbia.

I have been a special needs teacher for 43 years. I have had administrators in the Baltimore City public school system use the word "retarded" when speaking to my students. When I said that their words were hurtful, I was told I was too sensitive. So now Joe Flacco uses the word, and everybody gets their bowels in an uproar ("Where the air is rare," Jan. 31). The difference between the Ravens quarterback and the "know everything about education" administrators is he immediately apologized.

The Pale Knight arrived ready to plunge. Inspired by last year's Batman film, "The Dark Knight Rises," Patrick Fink of Baltimore showed up at Saturday's 17th annual Polar Bear Plunge clad in a bat mask, long cape and briefs that exposed much of his pasty skin to the chill air. He even had his chest hair shorn in the shape of the Batman logo. It was the seventh time the 27-year-old from Baltimore had traveled to Sandy Point State Park for a midwinter dip in the frigid Chesapeake Bay. He said he keeps returning because the yearly event raises money for Special Olympics Maryland, "a charity I love supporting.

Alpine skiing coach Diane Mikulis watched as the body language of her Special Olympic athletes - including Marylander Jake Reynolds - transformed one day last month from mildly interested to awe-struck. They had just entered Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y., where international flags hung majestically from the rafters and where banners and murals honored historic athletic events. The skiers listened to a brief history of the venue and now were being told they were going to be allowed on the ice. They grinned widely, and a smile slowly crept onto Mikulis' face, too, as her skiers restlessly and excitedly waited to descend the stairs.

Special Olympics Maryland has named Stacy Alford as an area, county director team. Alford was born and raised in Baltimore County. She moved to Harford County in 2008 and lives in the Forest Hill area of the county. She is a professional with a national strategic fundraising company who will bring her wealth of experience to the Harford County sub-program. As an aunt to her 8-year-old niece, Leah, with Down Syndrome, Alford also brings the value of personal experience with athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Colleges Johns Hopkins football piles up Centennial honors Johns Hopkins nearly pulled off a clean sweep of the Centennial Conference's major football awards, landing the league's Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Coach of the Year honors. Senior running back Jonathan Rigaud was named Offensive Player of the Year, while senior linebacker Taylor Maciow was named Defensive Player of the Year and Jim Margraff nabbed Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season.

People looking for Westminster Police Chief Jeff Spaulding on Sunday, Sept. 30, might try Dunkin' Donuts. That's not a gag. Spaulding and two Maryland State Police officers —Capt. Jim DeWees and Lt. Rob Stryjewski — were scheduled to spend Saturday and Sunday on the roof of the doughnut shop in the 140 Village Shopping Center as part of a drive to collect donations for Special Olympics of Maryland. The effort is part of the national "Cops on Rooftops" fundraiser. The Westminster-area officers had a goal of $7,500 — and vowed that they would not come down until it had been collected.

When the 2012 Westminster Fallfest celebration kicks off on Thursday night, Sept. 27, with the annual parade, Woody Higgs will be right at the front. Higgs, along with five other residents representing Special Olympics-Maryland, Carroll County, will carry the Fallfest banner. "We're really excited," said Donna McGuire, assistant volunteer coordinator for Special Olympics, and Higgs' mother. "This is our first time in Fallfest. " Special Olympics, along with Carroll Hospice, the Taneytown Lions Club and the Stacey Davis Breast Cancer Fund, was selected to be the partners for this year's annual Fallfest.