Generosity of donors puts Idaho Special Olympics dream in reach

Local News - The Idaho Statesman - Always Idaho: "Sometimes a dream takes a while to come true. This one still hasn't ... yet. For years, Jim and Pirie Grossman, his parents, Sam and Peggy, and the regional director for North America Special Olympics, Randy Schubert, have envisioned 2,500 Special Olympics athletes competing in Idaho. Suddenly, the stars seem aligned. In just three short months they've corralled a powerful crowd of politicians, sports leaders and businesses willing to pony up $7.5 million�nearly half of the $15 million to $20 million required to bring SO here.

'No one has turned us down,' Pirie told me at a reception at BSU's Allen Nobel Hall of Fame for the SO International Board members checking out Boise last week. Among those already on the honorary SO steering committee are Teresa Heinz and John Kerry, Mariel Hemingway, Steve Crisman and Kiril Sokoloff, Sun Valley; and Cecil Andrus, Jim Everett and Nancy and Jean-Pierre Boespflug.

Although the Special Olympics will consume about two weeks (and fill every lodging in Boise and Valley County), the public education facet will take place over a year, as students in Idaho towns host athletes from some of the 80 nations taking part in the Olympics.
Emcee and Special Olympian Kirk Grogan of Spirit Lake, told us SO gave him confidence in handling everyday life and belief in himself and his ability to beat the odds.

'The values of Idaho are in line with the values of the Special Olympics,' he said, addressing the site team. 'When you're in Idaho, your life will change. You'll find people here who have commitment to improving the world and the tenacity to make it happen.'"