Douglas County, KS - Special Olympics

17/07/2026

It’s Flex Friday Lawrence! 💪 Today we want to show off our amazing Douglas County Jayhawks Special Olympics Powerlifting Team! They are heading to competition soon and are having a great fundraiser coming up!

The fundraiser will be a Special Olympics Golf Tournament on August 8th at Orchards Golf Course in Lawrence! Huge shoutout to Gary Tanner for coordinating the fundraiser! For signups and information, you can email Gary at [email protected]

02/07/2026

We are beyond proud to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our Douglas County athletes who represented us on the national stage at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis! This is an extraordinary achievement, and every single one of them has made us proud.

A special shout-out to our Flag Football athletes; Colin Hughes, Tim Trowbridge, CJ Mills, Rickey Danberry, Brady Tanner, and Skyler McMillin. Their grit and hard work earned the team a Bronze medal!

Jennifer Goff dazzled in Bocce, taking 5th place in singles, a Silver medal in doubles, and a Bronze medal as part of the team.

Megan Miller gave it her all in Co****le bringing home a Bronze medal in singles and 4th in doubles.

Victoria VanAlstine swam her heart out, finishing 4th in the 50m butterfly and 5th in the 25m freestyle.

Ethan Folks, with an outstanding performance, secured our county’s only Gold medal in the 25m backstroke, plus a 5th place in the 25m freestyle!

What an accomplishment for these athletes, their families, and our whole community. We are beyond proud!

Special Olympics Kansas 2026 Special Olympics USA Games 📺 The Lawrence Times

20/06/2026

19/06/2026

Today, our Douglas County delegates officially departed for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, Minnesota! 🇺🇸✈️🚌

The excitement is through the roof as these incredible athletes prepare to represent our community on the national stage.

We couldn't be more proud of each athlete, coach, and family member who helped make this journey possible. Your passion, perseverance, and team spirit inspire us all. ❤️💙💛

Over the next several days, our delegates will compete, make lifelong memories, build new friendships, and showcase what it truly means to be a champion.

📣 Douglas County, let's send them off with lots of love and encouragement!

👇 Drop your good luck messages in the comments and help us cheer on Team Douglas County as they take on the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games!

Special Olympics Kansas

18/06/2026

Thank you for covering our athletes!

Athletes from Douglas County Special Olympics will be competing in swimming, bocce ball, flag football and co****le at the USA Games, starting Saturday in Minnesota. https://lawrenceks.news/4eR0sNG

17/06/2026

Departure is 2 days away 💪 Opening Ceremony is right around the corner 🎉 The podium awaits 🏅

Let's do this, Douglas County Jayhawks!

15/06/2026

🎉 Your local Douglas County Special Olympics team has a very exciting couple of weeks ahead!

In just a few days, 10 incredible local athletes will be representing Douglas County on the national stage at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

These athletes have worked incredibly hard, demonstrated outstanding dedication, and are ready to showcase their talents while representing our community with pride.

Our delegation departs on Friday, and we couldn't be more excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Please join us in wishing all 10 athletes the very best of luck as they compete, make memories, and proudly represent Douglas County, Kansas, at the USA Games!

Good luck, athletes — we are so proud of you and can't wait to cheer you on every step of the way! ❤️💙💛

02/06/2026

A heartfelt thank you to all of our local law enforcement officers and agencies who participated in and supported this year's Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

Your dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to our athletes help carry the Flame of Hope and shine a light on the importance of inclusion, acceptance, and opportunity for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

The Torch Run is the largest grassroots fundraising and awareness movement for Special Olympics, made possible by law enforcement officers who serve as proud "Guardians of the Flame."

Whether you ran, volunteered, donated, escorted participants, or cheered from the sidelines, your support means the world to our athletes and their families.

Thank you for standing beside our athletes, believing in their abilities, and helping make our communities stronger and more inclusive.

❤️💙💛 We are grateful for your service, your support, and your unwavering commitment to Special Olympics.

Lawrence Kansas Police Department Eudora KS Police Department Baldwin City Police Department Douglas County Sheriff's Office

27/05/2026

TONIGHT 🤗 Please feel free to share, share, share!

Please join us for a delicious fundraiser night supporting DC Special Olympics! 💚🏅

On Wednesday, May 27 from 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM, dine at Texas Roadhouse in Lawrence and help support our amazing athletes. Texas Roadhouse will donate 10% of your total food purchase back to DC Special Olympics!

📍 Texas Roadhouse – Lawrence, KS
📅 Wednesday, May 27
⏰ 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM

⚠️ IMPORTANT: You MUST show the flyer below when you dine in for your purchase to count toward the fundraiser donation.

We would love your support and hope to see you there! 💚

26/05/2026

Tomorrow :)

Please join us for a delicious fundraiser night supporting DC Special Olympics! 💚🏅

On Wednesday, May 27 from 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM, dine at Texas Roadhouse in Lawrence and help support our amazing athletes. Texas Roadhouse will donate 10% of your total food purchase back to DC Special Olympics!

📍 Texas Roadhouse – Lawrence, KS
📅 Wednesday, May 27
⏰ 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM

⚠️ IMPORTANT: You MUST show the flyer below when you dine in for your purchase to count toward the fundraiser donation.

We would love your support and hope to see you there! 💚