2009 SOVA Annual Awards Luncheon
Farm Bureau Insurance and Special Olympics Virginia announced their 2009 annual award winners on April 1st in Richmond, honoring the top volunteers across the state. Congratulations to the 2009 winners.
- Program Volunteer of the Year: Chris Hall of Chesapeake – Chris Hall has made a tremendous impact on Special Olympics Virginia during his eight years as a volunteer. Currently chairman of the Beach Operations Committee for the Polar Plunge Winter Festival, Special Olympics Virginia’s largest annual fundraiser, Hall also has served as committe chair of the Polar Plunge. He takes part in all aspects of the event – from raising money and motivating people to participate, to saving expenses in the logistics planning and organizing almost everything related to the event’s beach set up. Hall, whose son Gavin is a Special Olympics athlete, also attended the 2008 National Invitational Golf Tournament as Gavin’s coach and partner. In addition, Hall also finds time to help at the local volleyball championships and the Area 2 Basketball Championships.
- Outstanding Area Volunteer: BJ Norris of Blacksburg -- Bobbie Jean (BJ) Norris also has been an outstanding volunteer for Special Olympics for the past eight years. She has been a part of the management teams for the Southwest Region Basketball Tournament, spring games and track & field competition, and also assisted with many area fundraisers, including “A Taste of Inspiration.” Norris, whose two children, Ben and Josh, are Special Olympics Virginia athletes, also helped coordinate several of the Unified Sports leagues in the area, and recently organized a trip for a local group of athletes to participate the National Unified Bowling Tournament in Las Vegas.
- Outstanding Area Volunteer: Emmett Bunch of Chesapeake -- Emmett Bunch has been a Special Olympics Virginia volunteer for more than 25 years. Not only does he help out with soccer, basketball and track & field, he also is in charge of all uniforms for his area program. He has attended many state games and regional events as a coach. He also finds time to organize a coupon book fundraiser to benefit his area.
- Outstanding Family of the Year: The Van Lowe Family of Dale City – The Van Lowe Family has been a part of Special Olympics Virginia for more than 12 years. Leonard, Peggy, Veronica and Erik all have made an impact on Special Olympics Virginia and Area 23, which includes Prince William, Manassas and Manassas Park. Leonard takes charge of generating the roster training programs (RTP) reports for the program and also developed and designed the area’s Web site. Peggy joined forces with Leonoard more than 10 years ago, and remains the top fan of her son, Erik, a Special Olymics Virginia athlete. Veronica, Erik’s sister, also gives her time to the program, making it truly a Van Lowe family affair.
- Coach of the Year: Dan Dillon of Leesburg – Dan Dillon has been coaching Special Olympic athletes for 27 years. He has been head coach and coordinator of basketball for 25 years and also a coach for track & field, swimming and ice skating for two years. Thanks to Dillon’s efforts, the basketball program in his area has grown to 60 athletes, and Dillon never misses the chance to recruit additional volunteers and athletes to join him on the court.
- Athlete of the Year: David Sutton of Kilmarnock -- David Sutton has been an athlete with Special Olympics for more than 30 years. He has participated in soccer, basketball, track & field, tennis, bowling and softball. Sutton excels in everything he sets his mind to and was a member of the Team USA soccer team during the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games. He also has participated in numerous state games for tennis, softball and basketball. His positive attitude makes him a terrific coach and role model to other athletes in the program as well.
- Virginia H. Foster Winning Spirit Award: Roger Giesinger of Norfolk -- President and chief negotiator at Hampton Roads Shipping Association, Roger Giesinger has been involved with Special Olympics Virginia for five years. He has served as a golf coach in Area 2, a plunger at the annual Polar Plunge and is a current member of the Special Olympics Virginia Board of Directors. Perhaps what he’s most known for, however, is his Polar Plunge fundraising efforts. In just five years, Giesinger has raised more than $100,000 for Special Olympics Virginia’s local programs. With the money he raised in 2008, he also helped send Chad Conner, an athlete from Virginia Beach, and Kurt Krumreich, a coach from Virginia Beach, to the 2009 World Winter Games this past February.