Special Olympics - Melbourne Inner East

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.

16/07/2026

Only 100 days to go! 🏅

Our MIE athletes are training hard and counting down the days until they join athletes from across Australia at the 2026 Special Olympics Australia National Games.

We can't wait to celebrate their achievements, cheer them on, and witness the incredible spirit, talent, and camaraderie that make the National Games so special. 💙

See you in Melbourne! 🙌

In 100 days, Melbourne will welcome more than 900 incredible athletes, team support staff, volunteers, families and supporters for the 2026 Special Olympics Australia National Games, 19-23 October.

The countdown is on, and we can't wait to celebrate the excitement, talent and camaraderie that make the National Games so memorable.

Tickets are on sale to the Opening Ceremony at Margaret Court Arena – buy yours today via Ticketek: https://bit.ly/26SOA-NGOC

08/07/2026

This Saturday, 11 July it's POLAR PLUNGE time! ❄️🥶

Our amazing MIE Freeze Force team will be taking the plunge into icy waters to raise funds for our athletes and club. 🙌

Every dollar raised helps support MIE programs, create opportunities for our athletes to train and compete, and keep sport accessible for everyone. 💙

👉 This is your last chance to DONATE to our brave plungers:
https://include.specialolympics.com.au/fundraisers/miefreezeforce

📍 South Melbourne Life Saving Club
🕘 From 9:00am

Come along, cheer on the team, and be part of the fun as we brave the cold for a great cause! 🎉
💙 Every donation makes a difference.
💙 Every cheer counts.
💙 Every plunger is helping change lives.

Let's have some fun while we with

Melbourne Inner East…we need your support ❄️

The 2026 Polar Plunge is almost here and time is running out to get involved ⏳

On Saturday 11 July, our incredible MIE community will take the plunge to raise funds that directly support athletes with intellectual disability to train, compete and thrive through sport.

💙 Why it matters
Every dollar raised goes straight back into MIE, helping us keep programs accessible and creating opportunities for our athletes across the club.

👇 You can make a difference
❄️ Take the plunge and join our team: https://include.specialolympics.com.au/fundraisers/miefreezeforce
💙 Or support a participant by donating: https://include.specialolympics.com.au/fundraisers/miefreezeforce

💙❄️

25/06/2026

Melbourne Inner East…we need your support ❄️

The 2026 Polar Plunge is almost here and time is running out to get involved ⏳

On Saturday 11 July, our incredible MIE community will take the plunge to raise funds that directly support athletes with intellectual disability to train, compete and thrive through sport.

💙 Why it matters
Every dollar raised goes straight back into MIE, helping us keep programs accessible and creating opportunities for our athletes across the club.

👇 You can make a difference
❄️ Take the plunge and join our team: https://include.specialolympics.com.au/fundraisers/miefreezeforce
💙 Or support a participant by donating: https://include.specialolympics.com.au/fundraisers/miefreezeforce

💙❄️

02/06/2026

At Special Olympics - Melbourne Inner East, the action doesn’t stop at training or events…it keeps going online💬

Want to stay up to date with everything happening at MIE?

From big wins 🏅 to community moments 💙 to upcoming events 🎬, it’s all happening across our channels!

👉 Follow, connect and join the conversation:
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/-MIE
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialolympics_MIE
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsMIE
🐦 X: https://x.com/specialolym_MIE
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somie

💛 Get chatty with us, share the love, and help us grow our community

👇 Hit follow and don’t miss a moment

21/05/2026

This week is Week (18-24 May) and it is our time to celebrate the people who make our club so special and say a huge thank you!

MIE has nearly 100 volunteers who all give huge amounts of their time to make our athletes shine.

We’re proud to join the Australian Sports Commission's campaign in recognising the people who make sport possible.

One of our longstanding volunteers is our wonderful Tenpin Bowling Co-ordinator Trish Goodrem.

Trish's son Robert became a Special Olympics athlete back in 2010 and has participated in swimming, basketball and tenpin bowling. He won a Gold Medal in tenpin bowling at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin in 2023. Trish has volunteered at all of Robert's sports for many years and took over the role as Bowling Co-ordinator in 2019.

One of the greatest rewards for Trish is seeing the joy on the athletes' faces when they are proud of their achievements - big or small. Trish recommended to anybody thinking of volunteering "Join up! We need volunteers and you really don't know what you're missing out on unless you join up".

A huge thank you to all our volunteers – who like Trish - make MIE fun for all our athletes!

21/05/2026

What an incredible morning and what a fantastic achievement by everyone involved. 👏👏

We loved being part of the Angela Taylor Memorial Run/Walk and seeing so many athletes, volunteers, family members, friends and furry supporters coming together around Albert Park Lake. Rain or shine, the energy and enthusiasm were unstoppable. 💪☔️

Thank you to everyone who supported, cheered, fed and hydrated the team

09/04/2026

🌟 Volunteer Spotlight: Roslyn Allen 🌟

Roslyn Allen has been a much loved and constant presence at Melbourne Inner East. She first became involved when her son Edward joined swimming, later bowling, and she has been supporting the club ever since.

Roslyn says what she enjoys most is watching athletes “having fun, training, competing, and gaining confidence in their ability to improve”, as well as getting to know their families and carers along the way.

Some of her most memorable moments have been in swimming and bowling, seeing athletes achieve their best and realising what they are capable of. “I’ve been known to cry when an athlete has a miracle moment,” Roslyn shares. Watching athletes like Tommy and Luca grow into confident competitors across their sports has been especially meaningful. “I’m so proud of you both.”

With many years of experience, including being President of Down Syndrome Victoria, Roslyn joined the club committee looking to give back. Despite a busy life, she has always made time to support the club, knowing how important these programs are for athletes and families.

Roslyn loves the camaraderie at swimming meets, meeting new people, and seeing volunteers experience the joy of working alongside athletes. And when it comes to Team VIC, while she may not hold an official role at Nationals, she proudly makes up for it by cheering loud and proud!

Thank you, Roslyn, for your dedication, leadership, and heart. 💙

02/04/2026

Happy Birthday to our athletes born in April. Sending wishes to Christine C, Ashlee C, Anthony M, Chris M, Christina P, Jade S, Katrina T, Olivia S, Stuart H, Jeremy M, Kate O, Patrick H, Charlie J, Ethan G and Rach P!

01/04/2026

💙 World Autism Awareness Day | 2 April 💙

Today we recognise and celebrate autistic people across our Special Olympics Australia community. World Autism Awareness Day is a time to listen, learn, and acknowledge the strengths and contributions of our athletes both on and off the field.

At Special Olympics - Melbourne Inner East, we see how sport creates opportunities that go far beyond competition. It builds confidence, leadership, and connection.

One of our athletes recently shared that Special Olympics has given her the chance to develop leadership, public speaking, and event skills, helping her feel confident to share her voice and support athletes everywhere. She also reminded us that autism is simply part of who she is and does not stand in the way of her everyday life.

Today is about awareness, acceptance, and celebrating people for who they are. We are proud to stand alongside our autistic athletes, families, and supporters today and every day.

💙♾️