Special Olympics New Jersey - Morris and Sussex

03/04/2026

🍀🎲 Game Night is Back This March! 🎲🍀

The Sparta Elks Lodge Special Young Adults Committee is excited to share our March Calendar of Events! Join us Thursday nights from 6:30–8:30 PM for fun, friends, and plenty of laughs!

🗓 March Schedule:
• March 5 – Game Night
• March 12 – Game Night + St. Patrick’s Day Snacks 🍀
• March 19 – Game Night
• March 26 – Game Night

📍 Open to young adults 18+ with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

⚠️ Please note: The bathroom is not handicap accessible.

For more information, email: [email protected]

We can’t wait to see everyone for a month full of games, community, and a little St. Patrick’s Day fun! 💚♠️

03/01/2026

What an incredible accomplishment worth celebrating! 🎉🏅

Please join us in congratulating Brian Cannavina, a proud member of On the Go and one of our amazing Special Olympics athletes!

Brian, who is legally blind, has just completed the TOKYO Marathon — and with that finish, he has now completed all six Abbott World Marathon Majors!

That’s right — six world marathon majors conquered through determination, grit, and heart. 💪🌎

Brian, your perseverance inspires our entire community. You remind us all that limits are meant to be challenged and goals are meant to be achieved.

Congratulations on this extraordinary milestone — we are so proud of you!! 👏👏👏

02/28/2026

Mark your calendars! 🗓️

On March 25, make your meal matter at Jersey Mike’s Day of Giving! 🥪❤️

Visit one of our local Jersey Mike’s Subs locations and help support the Special Olympics USA Games 2026. Every sub purchased that day helps make a difference for our incredible athletes!

📍 Participating Morris/Sussex/Warren locations include:
Boonton, Budd Lake, Chatham, Chester, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Flanders, Florham Park, Hackettstown, Lincoln Park, Morris Township, Newton, Parsippany, Pompton Plains, Sparta, Succasunna, Whippany, and Washington.

Your support fuels dreams, creates opportunities, and helps Team New Jersey shine on the national stage! ⭐

Let’s show up, spread the word, and make March 25 a HUGE success!

02/22/2026

🚨 Register Today for Walk SONJ 2026 – Morris & Sussex Counties! 🚨

Join us on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 10 AM at Flanders Park as our community comes together to support the incredible athletes of Special Olympics New Jersey Morris & Sussex Counties.

Every step you take helps provide FREE year-round sports training, competitions, health screenings, and leadership opportunities for our athletes right here in our community.

👟 Call to Action:
👉 Register today at https://support.sonj.org/event/2026-walk-sonj-morris-and-sussex-county/e730129
👉 Start a team, invite friends, and help us spread inclusion across Morris & Sussex!

🎽 Important: T-shirts are NOT guaranteed for registrations after April 27, 2026, so don’t wait—sign up today!

Let’s show up strong, celebrate inclusion, and walk together for our athletes! 💙

02/04/2026

📣 Community Alert! 📣

We’re excited to share that representatives from Special Olympics New Jersey – Morris & Sussex Counties will be attending the Roxbury Special Needs Resource Fair!

Stop by to learn more about Special Olympics programs, inclusive sports opportunities, and how athletes, families, and volunteers can get involved. Our team will be there to share information, answer questions, and connect you with local resources.

📍 Roxbury Public Library
🗓 Saturday, February 7
⏰ 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

We hope to see you there—come say hello and learn how Special Olympics is building inclusive communities through sports! 💙🏅

02/01/2026

Yesterday, January 31st, Special Olympics New Jersey hosted its first-ever Winter Games for Pickleball 🏓❄️-and what an incredible day it was!

Four amazing Morris & Sussex County athletes - Kiko, Joseph, Daisy, and Jackson - who have been training at Home Court Pickleball Club, competed in their respective divisions and proudly brought home silver and bronze medals. Even more impressive than the medals was what they showed on the court: sportsmanship, teamwork, determination, and true competitive spirit. We couldn’t be prouder!

A huge thank you to TJ and Nicole from Home Court Pickleball Club for their partnership over the past two years, and a very special shout-out to Coach Bill Riedell, whose vision and dedication helped start this program and make moments like this possible.

Thank you as well to our incredible pickleball community volunteers - Roy, Kris, Kaleigh, Heidi, Maddie, Linda, Henry, and Owen and Coach Johnnia. This program is truly successful because of a strong, supportive community, and we are so grateful for each of you.

We’re already looking ahead with excitement to the coming year and the Winter 2027 Games. The best is yet to come! 💙

02/01/2026

Meet Riley and Henry 💙
They’re brothers — and teammates — whose bond shows the true heart of Unified Sports.

Through Unified Sports, Riley and Henry get to play side by side, support one another, and grow together, both on and off the field. What makes their story so special isn’t just the game — it’s the confidence, friendship, and sense of belonging that Unified creates for students of all abilities. 🤝🏅

Their journey is a powerful reminder that inclusion doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, it’s as simple as giving everyone a chance to play, connect, and be part of something bigger.

Take a moment to read their story and see how this simple idea is creating big results across New Jersey.

💙

Riley and Henry LaDuke are members of the Sparta Unified Soccer team, and they look quite comfortable competing against other schools. The principle of Special Olympics Unified Sports is as simple as it is effective: Teams of players with and without an Intellectual Disability (ID) compete against o...

01/27/2026

🎳💙 Along with our Mini County Tournament action, we’re excited to recognize the Mount Olive High School Special Olympics Bowling Team, who also completed their games yesterday at Circle Lanes in Ledgewood, New Jersey.

The Mount Olive athletes showed outstanding focus, sportsmanship, and team pride on the lanes, representing their school and community with enthusiasm and determination. It’s always inspiring to see our programs in action and coming together through Special Olympics.

We’re proud of the Mount Olive team and grateful for the continued support of athletes, coaches, and families who make days like this possible!

🎳💙

01/27/2026

❄️🎳 Due to last weekend’s snow and the cancellation of the SONJ Morris & Sussex County Bowling Meet, SCARC, Smiles of Hopatcong, and the Sparta Bowling Team came together yesterday at Sparta Lanes for a Mini County Tournament to collect their scores.

Athletes, coaches, and fans all had an amazing day filled with teamwork, sportsmanship, and plenty of smiles. It was truly a reminder that when our community comes together, nothing can stop us!

📸 A huge thank you to Pete Byron for capturing these unforgettable moments—we’re so grateful to have them to look back on!

🎳💙

01/22/2026

🎉 Meet Wayne George — A True Inspiration! 🏅

Wayne’s journey with Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ) began in the late 1960s as a bowler — and from that first step, he blossomed into a role model for athletes of all ages and abilities. Over the years, Wayne tried new sports like basketball, floor hockey, powerlifting, track and field, gymnastics, skiing, and bocce, showing what determination and courage can accomplish. Today, at 76, he lives independently, stays active with his team On the Go, and continues to inspire everyone around him. 

🌟 This is what SONJ is all about — empowering athletes to grow, thrive, and live full lives through sport, joy, and community support. 

But we can’t do it alone.

👉 We need YOU!
📌 Donate — Your support directly funds year-round training, events, and life-changing opportunities for athletes like Wayne.
📌 Volunteer — From events to coaching to community outreach, YOUR time can make a lasting difference.

Every athlete has a story. Let’s help them write more chapters — with support, with pride, and with a community that cares. ❤️

✨ Click to donate or sign up to volunteer today!
👉 Link to Donate: https://support.sonj.org/event/2026-walk-sonj-morris-and-sussex-county/e730129

👉Volunteer Page: https://portals.specialolympics.org

Wayne George began his journey with Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ) in the late 1960s as a bowler through Arc Morris and, though shy at first, soon became a role model for others. Over the years, George bravely tried many new sports: basketball, floor hockey, powerlifting, track & field, gymnasti...