Sponsors

Special Olympics Michigan receives no state funding to support the annual $7 million program. Special Olympics never charges an athlete or their family to participate in the year-round athletic training and competitions. Special Olympics Michigan relies solely on the generosity individuals, organization and corporations to continue to the life-changing program.

Our Statewide Partners

Spartan Stores
Gold Medal Sponsor

Spartan Stores is a long standing partner of Special Olympics Michigan. Since 1985, Spartan Stores has contributed $7 million to support the State Summer Games and the year-round athletic training of 18,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Spartan Stores raised the $7 million through customer, retailer, vendor and associate donations. Each year Spartan Stores gives a large donation, funded by the sale of paper medallions throughout the state. The sales raise funds and public awareness about Special Olympics Michigan athletes.

In 2009, Spartan Stores celebrated 25 years as presenting sponsor of the State Summer Games. In addition to financial support, Spartan Stores supports the State Summer Games with hundreds of volunteers who are associates, retirees, friends, families, vendors and independent retailers. Many of these volunteers have become core volunteers throughout the State Summer Games. Spartan Stores also provides the meals for all of the volunteers throughout the State Summer Games.

Spartan Stores is very interested in helping community members improve their health and wellness.  In 2008, Spartan Stores started its Healthy Athlete of the Year program to recognize one Special Olympics Michigan athlete each year who exemplifies a healthy life-style and the Special Olympics Oath.  The award is given to an athlete at State Summer Games who strives for wellness, a balance of the mind, body and spirit and is a leader among other athletes. Spartan Stores features that athlete on one of its products and its semi trailers.

The winners:
2009 - Amy Bliss
2008 – Keir Mallory

Since 2005, Spartan Stores has hosted the Grand Rapids sight of the annual World’s Largest Truck Convoy.  The World’s Largest Truck Convoy (WLTC) for Special Olympics is an annual event, which unites law enforcement and truckers to raise funds for Special Olympics athletes. More than 3,000 trucks across the United States and Canada - big rigs to dump trucks - traverse 1,000 miles during this Guinness Book of World Record breaking event.

Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Spartan Stores, Inc., (Nasdaq: SPTN) is the nation's eleventh largest grocery distributor with warehouse facilities in Grand Rapids and Plymouth, Michigan. The Company distributes more than 40,000 private-label and national brand products to approximately 350 independent grocery stores in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Spartan Stores also owns and operates 96 retail supermarkets in Michigan, including Family Fare Supermarkets, Glen's Markets, D&W Fresh Markets, Felpausch Food Centers and VG's Food and Pharmacy.

Learn more about Spartan Stores by visiting www.spartanstores.com.

Real Estate One
Silver Medal Sponsor
Real Estate One is the largest real estate company in Michigan with more than 2,100 employees and sales associates. We were founded in 1929 and have been actively involved in Michigan communities and charities for over 75 years. Real Estate One is a full-service real estate broker and our Family of Companies includes Max Broock Realtors, Johnstone & Johnstone Realtors, John Adams Mortgage Company, Capital Title Insurance Agency, Insurance One, Inc., and Relocation America. The generous people of our organization contribute a portion of their earnings to the Real Estate One Charitable Foundation through pre-tax donations. We also sponsor frequent fun and innovative fundraisers for the Foundation. On every dollar donated by our employees and sales associates, Real Estate One provides a 50-cent match to the Foundation.

In 2004, the Foundation's goal was to raise $100,000 to benefit both Special Olympics of Michigan and the American Cancer Society. We are proud to say our people helped shatter that goal, generously donating nearly more than $137,000, of which almost $53,000 went to Special Olympics of Michigan. In addition we raised over $10,000 to help the people of Southeast Asia who were devastated by the tsunami.

"The word 'Family' is a key component of the Real Estate One Family of Companies. It punctuates our dedication not only to one another during difficult times, but also our willingness to assist those who have been less fortunate in the 200 communities we serve," says President of Financial Services Stuart Elsea. "We're extremely proud of our relationship with Special Olympics and have tremendous respect for the individuals how give their time, skills and passion to the games, as these individuals represent the best of humanity and a level of character we should all strive to emulate in our own lives."

Visit the Real Estate One Family of Companies at www.realestateone.com.