Special Olympics - Melbourne Inner East

08/10/2026

☀️ SUMMER SPORTS ARE BACK! ☀️

Registrations are now open for our 2026/27 Summer Sports programs at Special Olympics Melbourne Inner East.

🏏 Cricket 📍 Fitzroy North 📅 Monday Evenings
🏃 Athletics 📍 Doncaster East 📅 Sunday Mornings

✅ FREE Come & Try Sessions for new athletes ✅ Athletes of all abilities welcome ✅ Build confidence, friendships and sporting skills ✅ Fun, inclusive and supportive environment

Whether you're looking to try a new sport or return for another season, we'd love to welcome you.

🔗 Register Today
🏏 Cricket: https://events.humanitix.com/sov-mie-cricket-2026-27
🏃 Athletics: https://events.humanitix.com/26-27-mie-athletics-season

06/10/2026

🌟 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: MEET LACHIE! 🌟

Lachie is a phenomenal Athlete Leader and a proud ambassador for our club! He recently stepped up even further by joining our communications subcommittee to help amplify our community's voices. 👋

When he’s not busy building great connections and meeting new people with us, he’s playing for Eltham All Abilities Football or coaching the Panton Hill Boys Under 12s. ⚽⚡

Lachie says one of his favourite things about MIE is being surrounded by incredible friends like Jordan McCormick, Sophie Nichols, and so many others! 🥹❤️

👉 Swipe left to see why Lachie loves his MIE family, his absolute favourite club memories, and his inspiring advice for anyone looking to make a difference! 👈

Thank you, Lachie, for your outstanding leadership and for making our community so much brighter! 🤝💓

🙌 READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT?
Inspired by Lachie's journey? We are looking for passionate sports volunteers, coaches, and admin superstars to join Australia’s largest Special Olympics club.
🔗 Tap the link in our bio to get involved today!

06/10/2026

🎉🎂 Happy Birthday to our wonderful team members celebrating this month! 🎂

Today we're celebrating Aesha Bhagat, Amanda Kozik, Celeste Rattray-Wood, Cooper Wortley, Frances Rudolph, Helen Baker, Ian Stamp, James Shiell, Jason Borg, Jonathan Stewart, Lucinda Harrison-Shore, Michael McGee, Oscar Chernov, Primrose Ritchie, Ridwan Azam, Sam Poynton, Ying (Jenny) Chen, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Zoe (Alison) Johns. We hope your special day is filled with happiness, laughter, and time spent with the people who mean the most to you.

23/09/2026

NATIONAL HONOURS FOR OUR WINTER HEROES! 🏅

Five athletes and two dedicated volunteers have officially been awarded the prestigious 🏅 Australian Sports Medal for their incredible achievements at the ❄️Winter World Games in Italy!

Huge congratulations to our champions:
🔹 Alex Cherny – 🥉 Bronze (Advanced Super G)
🔹 Charlie Jones – ⭐4th (Advanced GS) & 5th (Advanced Slalom)
🔹 Samantha Li – 🥉 Bronze (Advanced Super G)
🔹 Andrew Negrelli – 🥈 Silver (Intermediate GS)
🔹 Mikaela Williams – 🥈 Silver (Advanced GS) & 🥉 Bronze (Advanced Super G)

Special applause to our honoured volunteers:
⭐ Paula McCall – Assistant Head of Delegation
⭐ Georgina Frost – Head of Delegation & Vic Co-ordinator

A special thank you to our partners at Law Enforcement Torch Run - Victoria, Australia for organising a fantastic presentation ceremony celebrating our athletes and families! 🚔👏

On behalf of Special Olympics Australia and the Victorian State Committee, huge congratulations to everyone! 💚💛

👇 Drop a 🙌 or 🎉 in the comments to send your congratulations to the team!

15/09/2026

❤️ 50 Years. Countless Volunteers. One Very Special Community.

As we prepare for the National Games in Melbourne this October, we’re taking a moment to celebrate and thank the past and present volunteers who have helped make Special Olympics Melbourne Inner East the community it is today.

Back in May, MIE volunteers came together for our 50th Anniversary Volunteer Thank You Morning Tea, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate five decades of friendship, inclusion and shared commitment to our athletes.

We were also delighted to recognise three longtime MIE volunteers whose contributions have helped shape our club:

🏊 Rita Webb, a founding member of MIE in 1976 who established our swimming program.

🏃 Diana Setchell, a longtime volunteer and outstanding assistant coach who worked alongside Rita.

🎳 Mel McMahon, who, together with her husband Terry, established our much-loved tenpin bowling program in 1995.

Their stories are part of a much bigger volunteer legacy. For 50 years, MIE volunteers have helped athletes build skills and confidence, discover the joy of sport, make friendships and feel that they truly belong.

In 2025, MIE was also proudly recognised with Volunteering Victoria’s Inclusive Volunteering Award, a wonderful acknowledgement of the spirit, commitment and generosity of our volunteer community.

To every MIE volunteer, past and present, thank you for being part of our 50 years. ❤️ Interested in being part of our volunteer community? Send us a DM, we’d love to hear from you.

19/08/2026

Become an Athlete 🏃

Become an Athlete with Special Olympics Melbourne Inner East 🌟

Looking for sport, friendship and community?

Melbourne Inner East offers year-round sporting opportunities for people with intellectual disability and autism across Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

Whether you're new to sport or an experienced athlete, athletes of all abilities are welcome.

✅ 12 Sports Available
✅ FREE Come & Try Sessions
✅ Social Events & Club Activities
✅ Competition Opportunities
✅ Supportive & Inclusive Community

From Athletics and Basketball to Swimming, Tennis, Bowling, Football and more, there's a place for everyone.

💙 Start with a FREE Come & Try session and discover what Melbourne Inner East is all about.

🔗 Learn more: https://mailchi.mp/specialolympics/becomeanathlete

19/08/2026

Volunteer With Us 🙌

Volunteer With Special Olympics Melbourne Inner East 💙

Want to make a meaningful difference in your community?

Our volunteers help create opportunities for people with intellectual disability and autism to participate in sport, build friendships, develop confidence and achieve their goals.

There are many ways to get involved:

🏀 Sports Volunteers
🏆 Coaches & Assistant Coaches
🎉 Events & Fundraising
📋 Committee & Administration

Whether you can spare a few hours a month or are looking for a regular volunteer role, we'd love to welcome you to our team.

Join more than 100 volunteers supporting one of Australia's largest Special Olympics clubs.

🤝 Discover how you can get involved:

🔗 https://mailchi.mp/specialolympics/volunteerwithus

19/08/2026

♻️ Turn Your Empty Containers into Opportunities for Our Athletes!

Did you know your eligible drink containers can help support Special Olympics Melbourne Inner East?

Instead of claiming your 10¢ refund, donate it directly to our club and help create life-changing opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities through sport, inclusion and community.

It's easy:
1️⃣ Collect your eligible containers
2️⃣ Visit a Container Deposit Scheme return point
3️⃣ Scan our donation barcode and donate your refund to MIE

Every container helps support: 🏃 Sports programs
🤝 Community and social activities
🏆 Athlete development opportunities
💙 Inclusion and belonging

🔗 Learn more: https://mailchi.mp/specialolympics/donatevicdepositscheme

Together, we can make every can count!

17/08/2026

🤸‍♀️ A big shoutout to our gymnastics crew! ❤️
Our gymnasts have been busy training and competing over the past few weeks, and it’s been so great to see everyone getting involved, having fun and giving things a go!
We’re so proud of all the hard work they’ve been putting in and love seeing the confidence they’re building along the way. 💪✨
Interested in giving gymnastics a go? Get in touch with Tara for more information:
📩[email protected]

23/07/2026

Have you ever wanted to give golf a go? ⛳🏌️‍♀️

Special Olympics Victoria Golf and PGA Academy Sandhurst are excited to launch a new Special Olympics Unified Golf Program in Sandhurst!

No golf experience? No problem! 🙌

This FREE 8-week program is designed to help athletes learn and enjoy golf in a fun and supportive environment. Under the guidance of a PGA Professional, participants will learn:
✅ Golf technique and fundamentals
✅ Long and short shots
✅ On-course play
✅ Skills, confidence, and teamwork

🏌️All equipment is provided.

💙 The program is open to:
• Current Special Olympics athletes
• People eligible for Special Olympics membership (intellectual disability and/or autism)
• Carers and Unified Partners (who are encouraged to participate too)

PROGRAM DETAILS
📅 Starts: Wednesday 19 August
⏰ Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
📍 Location: Sandhurst Golf Club, 75 Sandhurst Blvd, Sandhurst VIC
🏌️ Coach: Scott McDermott, PGA Professional
💲 Cost: FREE (8-week program)
👥 Places: Limited to 10 participants

👉 Register here: https://golf.com.au/get-into-golf-program?programUID=d97dac12-bbdf-45d4-8c50-86ddb4dba4d5
⚠️ Carers and Unified Partners wishing to participate must also register.

⛳ FREE All Abilities Come & Try Days

Not sure if golf is for you? Why not come along and give it a go!

📅 Tuesday 11 August
Session 1 -⏰ 9:00am – 10:00am
Session 2 -⏰ 10:00am – 11:00am
These sessions are open to all abilities golfers and all disability groups.

📧 For more information or registration details, please contact Bree Schammer, Special Olympics Victoria Golf Coordinator:
[email protected]

⛳ Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to learn a new sport, make friends, and have fun on the course! 💙

Contact Golf Australia & the PGA of Australia above, or use the Support Desk for all enquiries including handicapping, login/sign up, Golf Australia Official app, and more.