Label — Patchwork
the Star-Tribune staff | Posted: Sunday, November 20, 2005 12:00 am
Special Olympics Wyoming has announced athletes and Unified Sports partners chosen to represent Wyoming in the first USA National Summer Games, set for July 1-8, 2006, in Ames, Iowa.
Thirty-six athletes, partners and coaches will represent Wyoming in aquatics, athletics (track and field), bowling, golf, power lifting, motor activities training program and basketball.
Wyoming athletes, partners and coaches include:
*Athletics: Raelynn Gall, Thermopolis; Scott Meyers, Douglas; Trebar Teal, Douglas; John Lowe, Cheyenne.
*Power Lifting: Susan Willoughby, Cheyenne; Nolan Kenzy, Cheyenne.
*Swimming: Malinda Roundy, Green River; Judy Morgan, Cheyenne; Lance Baum, Worland; Kenny Barnhart, Sheridan Masters Easter Seals.
*United Sports Golf: Brian Bonine, athlete; Frank Toth, partner, Thermopolis.
*MATP: Kori Woods, Casper; Sue Harrison, coach.
*Bowling: Gerald Lande, Newcastle RENEW; Allan Mayzsak, Sheridan Masters Easter Seals; Jeannie Ellinger, Sheridan RENEW; Mary Cichonski, Sheridan Masters Easter Seals.
*United Sports Basketball: Darren Haderlie, Angie Hunt, Trent Jenkins, Micah Johns, AnnMarie Schwab, Sam Schwab, all athletes from Star Valley; Bethan Bradfield, Katie Bradfield, McKenzie Luthi, Pace Owens, all partners from Star Valley; Todd Luthi and Russ Gardner, coaches, Star Valley.
*FUND STARTED FOR BOY: Dillon Whiteplume, 5, of Ethete, has Stage IV neuroblastoma and must receive intensive chemotherapy every three weeks in Salt Lake City. He is the son of Janette and Leland Black of Ethete and the grandson of Georgine Brown of Ethete. A fund to help defray his medical expenses has been started at Wells Fargo Bank in Riverton. Donations may be sent to the Dillon Whiteplume Medical Fund, Wells Fargo Bank, 616 N. Federal Blvd., Riverton, 82501.
*WWCC GETS GRANT: Western Wyoming Community College has announced the receipt of a $10,000 gift from the Wyoming National Guard to the Western Wyoming College Foundation.
According to WWCC Development Officer Margaret Russell, the gift establishes a permanent fund called the "Wyoming National Guard Endowment" and will be matched by the Wyoming State Legislature, thanks to special legislation passed in 2004.
According to retired Wyoming National Guard Adjutant General Ed Boenisch, who spearheaded the fundraising efforts and who is currently an employee of the Wyoming Community College Commission, the gift is a result of a special National Guard fund-raising campaign conducted between 1998 and 2004. "National Guard members received state-funded college tuition from 1976 to 1990, when the Legislature eliminated the program. Tuition assistance is a major factor in recruiting and retention. We tried for eight years, from 1990 to 1998, to reestablish the tuition program through the Legislature. In 1998, we started raising money through private donations," Boenisch said. "We raised $152, 500. Then in 2001, we got the tuition program reestablished and well-funded through the Legislature. We have an average of 500 National Guard members per year now going to school around the state."
With a desire to put the donated funds to good use and in order to take advantage of the special legislation allowing a dollar for dollar state match, the Wyoming National Guard decided to establish a fund at each community college and the University of Wyoming, Boenisch said. The legislative match involves gifts made up to $4.5 million to a permanent endowment fund at each institution through June 30, 2009, and collected by Dec. 31, 2010. WWCC's efforts to reach the $4.5 million goal, the "Gifts for the Future" campaign launched one year ago, are focused on using the interest from the endowment to provide cutting edge technology, state of the art equipment, increased industry training, visiting scholars and additional scholarships.
For more information, contact the WWCC Development Office at 382-1882 or the Office of Financial Aid at 382-1643.