Special Olympics Family Festival
Consolidated Communications employees and family members come together with the community on a special day each September to host an event for Illinois Area 9 Special Olympians.
Since 1984, the Lake Land College campus has been the backdrop for this extraordinary event planned and organized by Consolidated Communications employees - the Special Olympics Family Festival (SOFF). Next year's event will be held on Saturday, September 18, 2010.
What began as an effort to develop a program to involve its employees in the community has grown to become what Special Olympics International in Washington, D.C., calls the "biggest event of its kind in the world."
On the third Saturday in September, Special Olympians, members of their families and volunteers come together for this fun-filled day. The event now includes volunteers from not only Consolidated Communications, but also area universities, community groups and individuals who just want to help. It is a day filled with fun, food, music, entertainment and noncompetitive games. Every participant truly emerges a winner!
From its beginnings with just a few hundred Special Olympians and volunteers, the event now attracts about 1,000 Special Olympians and some 1,800 or more volunteers who run the games, serve the food or act as Friends-for-a-Day for the Special Olympians.
The event captures the spirit and tradition of caring for others.
Click here to read the news release from our 2009 event.