Iowa Community Care Foundation

06/13/2026

Your local Special Olympics crew was over the moon excited for our sign up turn out on Wednesday! Thank you to everyone who showed up to register. You will hear from us soon!

Have friends that should join us? Send them our way! Registrations will always be accepted.

A special big THANK YOU to Marge Lightfoot with Iowa Community Care Foundation for getting the ball rolling. We are so grateful for your support and we look forward to our continued work together!

Pictured (L-R):
-Andrea Wheatley, Delegation Manager
-Shannon Tackes, Team Coach
-Debra Ridgway, Team Coach
-Marge Lightfoot, Iowa Community Care Foundation

Please let us know if you have questions!

06/11/2026

Blue Umbrella Bakery in Keokuk generously supported our Keokuk Community Special Olympics Registration Night last night with a generous cookie donation for our athletes —even through the storms. They were delicious and enjoyed by all. We are so grateful for local businesses like this who help build and support our new team. Please consider supporting and following their page: Blue Umbrella Bakery

06/11/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended our Keokuk Special Olympics registration and team information night!

We appreciate the athletes, families, and supporters who took time to learn more about this exciting new opportunity. It was wonderful to visit with the athletes and to begin building a team that will represent the Keokuk community with pride. A Huge thank you to both the Hoerner YMCA for hosting the registration and Blue Umbrella Bakery for the generous cookie donation for our athletes.

We appreciate the Ft Madison Special Olympic Team joining us bringing their knowledge and spending time in the gym with the athletes.

We look forward to welcoming more athletes and families as we continue to grow and build something special together. If you were unable to attend, there's still time to get involved! Athletes and families interested in joining are encouraged to reach out to one of our coaches for more information.

We are also working on creating a Keokuk Special Olympics Facebook group where updates, practice information, announcements, and team news will be shared. Watch for details coming soon!

And yes—the athletes in attendance voted for the team name! Stay tuned for the big reveal coming soon. 😊

06/10/2026

Today June 10, 5:00 - 7:00 Hoerner YMCA

TONIGHT’S the NIGHT!

Calling All Keokuk Special Olympic Athletes
Meet, Greet & Compete -Registration Night
this Wednesday Hoerner YMCA
June 10th 5:00-7:00.

Experience Meets New Athletes
Featuring our Team Sidekicks from Ft.Madison

We're excited that Fort Madison Coach Brad Benge and athletes of the Fort Madison Special Olympics team will join us for registration night for all athletes wanting to join the Keokuk Special Olympic Team!

As Team Sidekicks, these experienced athletes will help welcome and mentor new athletes and families to the newest Special Olympics team in Lee County.

They'll be there to answer questions, share their experiences, demonstrate sports skills, and encourage athletes as they begin their Special Olympics journey.

Thank you to Brad and the Fort Madison team for helping us build connections, confidence, and excitement from day one.

Join us at Registration Night and meet the Team Sidekicks helping launch this exciting new chapter in Keokuk!

06/07/2026

TONIGHT’S the NIGHT!

Calling All Keokuk Special Olympic Athletes
Meet, Greet & Compete -Registration Night
this Wednesday Hoerner YMCA
June 10th 5:00-7:00.

Experience Meets New Athletes
Featuring our Team Sidekicks from Ft.Madison

We're excited that Fort Madison Coach Brad Benge and athletes of the Fort Madison Special Olympics team will join us for registration night for all athletes wanting to join the Keokuk Special Olympic Team!

As Team Sidekicks, these experienced athletes will help welcome and mentor new athletes and families to the newest Special Olympics team in Lee County.

They'll be there to answer questions, share their experiences, demonstrate sports skills, and encourage athletes as they begin their Special Olympics journey.

Thank you to Brad and the Fort Madison team for helping us build connections, confidence, and excitement from day one.

Join us at Registration Night and meet the Team Sidekicks helping launch this exciting new chapter in Keokuk!

06/05/2026

Keokuk Special Olympic Athletes! It's finally happening!

After months of planning, recruiting coaches, and building community support, we are excited to announce registration night for the new Keokuk Special Olympics team!

We can't wait to meet the athletes who will help shape this new chapter for Special Olympics in Keokuk and the surrounding area.

📅 June 10
⏰ 5:00–7:00 PM
📍 Hoerner YMCA

Athletes ages 8 and up are welcome to attend. Whether you're a youth athlete, high school student, or adult interested in Special Olympics, we invite you and your family to stop by, learn more, ask questions, and get registered.

This team is becoming a reality thanks to the support of community partners who believe every athlete deserves the opportunity to participate, compete, and belong. A special thank you to the Hoerner YMCA for partnering with us and providing a welcoming home as we launch this new community-based team.

Whether you're interested in track and field, bowling, basketball, or simply learning more about Special Olympics, we encourage athletes, families, caregivers, and supporters to join us.

The athletes in these photos once started where you are today. We hope you'll join us and create memories, friendships, and achievements of your own.

We are ready. The coaches are ready.

Now we can't wait to meet our athletes!

06/01/2026

Exciting Progress for Keokuk Special Olympics! 🎉

The Iowa Community Care Foundation (ICCF) is excited to welcome the leadership team that will help launch the new Keokuk Community Special Olympics program!

💙 Andrea Wheatley, accompanied by her porch goose, Freddy French Fry, has been lead by the Lord with a passion for serving individuals with special needs through both her work as a teacher and her volunteer efforts. Her love for Special Olympics began when her high school hosted the Special Olympics Spring district games and track meet. As Delegation Manager, she looks forward to welcoming athletes and coaches and helping grow the Keokuk Special Olympics program, including opportunities for all athletes.

💙 Debra Ridgway is a first-grade teacher, wife to Rob, and mother of 12 children. Inspired by her daughter Hope's positive experience as a Special Olympics athlete involved in bowling in high school where she had a wonderful experience. Debra is excited to coach, meet the athletes, as well as anyone who also wants to be involved to bring Special Olympics program to the Keokuk area and support local athletes and families.

💙 Shannon Tackes is a high school special education teacher, wife, and mother of four who is passionate about supporting students and building strong community connections. Shannon is dedicated to helping every student grow in confidence, independence, and success. Outside of teaching, she enjoys cooking, theatre, and working in her food truck with her family. She is excited to help bring Special Olympics opportunities to the Keokuk community and showcase the talents and determination of local athletes.

Please join us in welcoming Andrea, Debra, and Shannon as they work to build new opportunities for athletes in the Keokuk community. We are excited about the future of Special Olympics in Keokuk and look forward to sharing more updates as the program grows! 🏅

05/27/2026