Topgolf Tip-A-Cop
Join us for the 3rd annual Topgolf Tip-A-Cop this year with 2 dates to participate: September 26 and October 17 from 5 PM–9 PM at Topgolf in Albuquerque! Come out and support one or both dates!
Topgolf Tip-A-Cop
Join us for the 3rd annual Topgolf Tip-A-Cop this year with 2 dates to participate: September 26 and October 17 from 5 PM–9 PM at Topgolf in Albuquerque! Come out and support one or both dates!
Los Alamos LETR Guns VS Hoses Softball Game
Join us for a Guns VS Hoses Softball Game on Friday, August 21 from 6 PM–8 PM at Lovato Field/Overlook Park in White Rock NM. Proceeds support Special Olympics New Mexico!
LETR Rio Rancho Golf Tournament
Don’t miss the 6th annual NM Law Enforcement Torch Run Golf Tournament on Monday, August 31st, hosted by Rio Rancho PD, Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, Bernalillo PD and Santa Ana PD. Funds raised through the tournament directly support Special Olympics New Mexico! Team and Sponsor registration is available.
Link to register: https://givebutter.com/2026letrgolftournament
Texas Roadhouse Tip-A-Cop
Join us for a Texas Roadhouse Tip-A-Cop at locations statewide on Thursday, July 30, from 4 PM–8 PM! Public safety officers will be taking donations during the Tip-A-Cop and proceeds directly support Special Olympics New Mexico! Don’t miss it!
Special Olympics New Mexico Announces Christine Roybal Hidalgo as CEO
Press Release
Media Contact:
Becks Rainsberger
817-929-7786
rainsberger@sonm.org
Special Olympics New Mexico Announces Christine Roybal Hidalgo as CEO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. July 1, 2026 — Special Olympics New Mexico is proud to announce the appointment of Christine Roybal Hidalgo as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026.
Christine is a native New Mexican and has lived in Albuquerque her whole life. Born into a family that loves sports, she has lived and breathed sports as an athlete, coach, and spectator over the years. Christine has served as the Director of Development at Special Olympics New Mexico (SONM) for 25 years. In her role as Director of Development, she oversaw SONM’s financial growth. In this role, Christine was responsible for planning, implementing and managing all fundraising activities, along with leading the development of Special Olympics New Mexico’s sustainable fundraising program.
“We are excited to welcome Christine into her new role as CEO of Special Olympics New Mexico,” said Dub Girand, Chairman of the Special Olympics New Mexico Board of Directors. “Her vast experience and giant heart for the Special Olympics movement position us to grow and deepen our impact serving people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in our state. The Special Olympics New Mexico Board of Directors is confident in Christine’s ability to lead our staff and engage our community as we work together to transform lives through sport.”
“It is a tremendous honor to be named the next CEO of Special Olympics New Mexico—one that I accept with humility and gratitude to the athletes, families, and all who make our mission possible,” Christine Roybal Hidalgo shared. “Over the past 25 years in service to this remarkable movement, I have seen firsthand how Special Olympics embodies the heart of sport and brings out the very best in all of us. Looking ahead, we will advance our mission and expand sports opportunities for athletes across New Mexico. Alongside our dedicated staff, I look forward to building on a strong foundation, celebrating our athletes’ achievements, and ensuring they have every opportunity to pursue and accomplish their goals and inspire others through their determination, talent, and spirit.”
“As we celebrate the remarkable legacy of our outgoing Executive Director, Randy Mascorella, we are deeply grateful for her dedication and leadership over the past 34 years,” Girand shared. “During this time, SONM has grown both in individuals served and community services provided. Randy dedicated her career to improving the lives of our athletes and making sure every person has the opportunity to compete in sport in a meaningful and inclusive way. We thank Randy for her 34 years of service and wish her a wonderful retirement.”
“Christine is a hands-on leader with the positive energy to inspire those around her,” Girand shared. “Her passion for inclusion drives her vision to help Special Olympics New Mexico foster opportunities for every person with intellectual disabilities in New Mexico. Tireless in her efforts, Christine will deploy our resources wisely and with heart. We are excited to join her in this journey that will take Special Olympics New Mexico to new heights.”
About Special Olympics New Mexico:
Special Olympics New Mexico provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Today, Special Olympics New Mexico serves more than 3,700 athletes, offering training and competition in 11 sports. Special Olympics New Mexico is sponsored year-round and statewide by New Mexico True, Law Enforcement Torch Run, Chick-fil-A, Mountain States Constructors, Inc., French Funerals & Cremations, Legacy Church, Sunny Bunny, and Rudy’s “Country Store and Bar-B-Q”.
Learn more about Special Olympics New Mexico at: sonm.org
Ruby Tuesday Las Cruces Tip-A-Cop
Las Cruces: Join us for a Tip-A-Cop at Ruby Tuesday in Las Cruces on Friday, June 26 from 5:30 PM–10 PM. Hosted by Las Cruces Police Department! Proceeds support Special Olympics New Mexico!
30 Special Olympics New Mexico Athletes will compete at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Becks Rainsberger
Marketing & Communications Manager
rainsberger@sonm.org
817-929-7786
30 Special Olympics New Mexico Athletes Head to Minnesota for the
2026 Special Olympics USA Games, June 20–26
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, June 11, 2026: In just over a week, more than 3,000 athletes from across the country will come together to compete at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, taking place June 20–26, 2026, in Minnesota. This national celebration of sport and inclusion will unite athletes, coaches, families and fans from all 50 states. Special Olympics New Mexico is proud to share that it will send a 49-member delegation, including 30 Special Olympics athletes, to represent New Mexico at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.
Team New Mexico is comprised of 30 athletes, 7 coaches, 1 Adult Athlete Leader, 2 Unified Champion Schools® students, and 9 staff. The delegation will compete in 4 of the 16 Olympic-type sports offered at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, including athletics (track & field), basketball, bocce and bowling.
Note: Learn more and view the full delegation roster for Special Olympics New Mexico our website:
https://sonm.org/about/nm-2026-so-usa-games/
Here are some words from Team New Mexico athletes regarding what attending Special Olympics USA Games means to them:
“I’m looking forward to competing with the best athletes in the USA. When you play with the best you naturally get better, so attending the 2026 USA Games means my skill level will improve,” said Reed Gallinger, Team New Mexico basketball athlete.
“Attending USA Games means the world to me,” shared Desiree Hanson, Team New Mexico bocce athlete. “I am so excited to represent New Mexico and meet new people. I love to travel and Minneapolis sounds like an awesome place to go.”
Chris Dixon, Team New Mexico basketball athlete shared “It is such a big honor to get to represent my state, New Mexico, at USA Games. I hoped and prayed that someday I would get to go to USA Games, and I am beyond excited that I finally get to go!”
Media Opportunity: Help celebrate Team New Mexico athletes and delegation members at our ABQ Sunport airport send-off on Friday, June 19, beginning at 4:30 AM. This opportunity will be short, from approximately 4:30 AM–5 AM. Interested media are welcome to meet our delegation in the Sunport Press Room on the second level. The room is located to the left of the escalators leading up to the TSA checkpoint. Media alert to follow.
Visit 2026specialolympicsusagames.org and follow @SpecialOlympicsUSAGames on social media for the latest 2026 Special Olympics USA Games updates.
About Special Olympics USA Games
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games – scheduled for June 20–26, 2026, across Minnesota’s Twin Cities with sports competitions at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine – is a national celebration of inclusivity, changing perceptions and the ability of the human spirit rising above limitations. The USA Games, with co-presenting partners Jersey Mike’s Subs and United Healthcare, will be one of the biggest U.S. sporting events of the year, drawing tens of thousands of fans to celebrate the ability of over 3,000 incredible athletes from all 50 states as they compete in 16 Olympic-type team and individual sports. As a state with a long history of championing inclusion, the USA Games now bring an unrivaled opportunity to Minnesota to spark new energy around the Special Olympics movement and create a lasting legacy of positive change.
About Special Olympics New Mexico
Special Olympics New Mexico provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Today, Special Olympics New Mexico serves more than 3,700 athletes, offering training and competition in 11 sports. Special Olympics New Mexico is sponsored year-round and statewide by New Mexico True, Law Enforcement Torch Run, Chick-fil-A, Mountain States Constructors, Inc., French Funerals & Cremations, Legacy Church, Sunny Bunny, and Rudy’s “Country Store and Bar-B-Q”.
Learn more about Special Olympics New Mexico at: sonm.org
LCSO Deputy Cathy Carnes will Represent NM in the LETR for Special Olympics Final Leg June 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Barbara Love, NMLETR Liaison
barbara@sonm.org
505-263-5986
Deputy Cathy Carnes will represent New Mexico in the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics Final Leg on the road to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
NEW MEXICO, May 26, 2026: Special Olympics New Mexico is proud to announce that Lea County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Cathy Carnes is one of 53 officers selected to carry the Flame of Hope torch during the Law Enforcement Torch Run® (LETR) Final Leg for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. The LETR Final Leg, sponsored by Jersey Mike’s Subs, kicks off on Friday, May 29. This historic, coast-to-coast journey unites law enforcement and athletes as they head toward Minnesota, where approximately 3,000 competitors, including 30 Special Olympics athletes from New Mexico, will participate in 16 Olympic-style sports from June 20-26, 2026.
The LETR Final Leg serves as the ultimate countdown to the USA Games, spanning May 29–June 20, 2026. The Flame of Hope will be carried from Chicago, the birthplace of Special Olympics, and travel along two parallel routes across the East Coast and West/Central regions, before converging in Minnesota.
Among those carrying the torch is a local law enforcement officer selected to represent New Mexico in this iconic LETR Final Leg. This opportunity is awarded to a limited number of athletes and law enforcement officials, nominated by their local Programs for their profound dedication to Special Olympics and leadership within the LETR movement. Deputy Carnes was nominated for her ongoing dedication and passion to Special Olympics New Mexico athletes both in her community and across the state. Her support included awarding medals at local Area and State Competitions, as well as organizing and leading numerous fundraisers that raised over $60,000 for Special Olympics in 2025.
“Being chosen to represent New Mexico and Special Olympics athletes by running in the Final Leg for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games is a huge honor and privilege for me,” Carnes shared. “When I first started participating in Special Olympics, I would watch the videos of all those who participated in the Final Leg and thought to myself: what an honor. It was a dream of mine to carry the Flame of Hope torch at a national or international Final Leg.”
Along the way, the Flame of Hope will be carried through 13 states, across all time zones, and will cover approximately 10,000 miles. The Torch Run will feature a national team of 73 participants, including 53 law enforcement officers and six Special Olympics athletes.
The LETR Final Leg will culminate on June 20, 2026, at Huntington Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus, where the Flame of Hope will ignite the cauldron and officially open the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.
Supporters can follow the Flame of Hope’s journey in real-time through an interactive route tracker with local ceremony details available at 2026specialolympicsusagames.org and follow @2026USAGames on social media for the latest updates. Community members, organizations, and fans can also join the movement by signing up to volunteer for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, and staying connected as the countdown continues.
About Special Olympics USA Games
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, scheduled for June 20–26, 2026, across Minnesota’s Twin Cities with sports competitions at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine, is a national celebration of inclusivity, changing perceptions and the ability of the human spirit rising above limitations. The USA Games, with co-presenting partners Jersey Mike’s Subs and UnitedHealthcare, will be one of the biggest U.S. sporting events of the year, drawing tens of thousands of fans to celebrate the ability of nearly 3,000 incredible athletes from all 50 states as they compete in 16 Olympic-type team and individual sports. As a state with a long history of championing inclusion, the USA Games bring an unrivaled opportunity to Minnesota to spark new energy around the Special Olympics movement and create a lasting legacy of positive change.
About the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics
The Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics is the largest public awareness and grassroots fundraising movement for Special Olympics, engaging law enforcement worldwide to champion acceptance and inclusion for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
About Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Mexico:
The New Mexico Law Enforcement Torch Run is a community policing and fundraising program for Special Olympics that promotes and empowers New Mexico law enforcement agencies to raise awareness and funds year-round for Special Olympics New Mexico, while providing opportunities, encouragement, and hope to SONM athletes and families in the process. In New Mexico, LETR is proudly sponsored by the following community partners: Latitudes, Bernalillo County, N2MIS (Los Alamos), Zona Rosa, Pojoaque Pueblo Tribal Police Department, New Mexico True, Chili’s, Chavez Grieves Consulting, Advance Auto Parts, Brycon Construction, Albuquerque Dukes Store, and Old Town Catering.
For more information about the New Mexico Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics visit www.sonm.org or call 505.856.0342.
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2026 State Summer Games
Media Alert
Media Contact:
Becks Rainsberger
817-929-7786
rainsberger@sonm.org
May 29–31: Special Olympics New Mexico will host the 2026 State Summer Games in Albuquerque
What: ALBUQUERQUE, Friday, May 29–Sunday, May 31: Approximately 1,375 Special Olympics New Mexico athletes and Unified partners will compete in the 2026 State Summer Games, presented by Chick-fil-A. Special Olympics athletes will compete in athletics (track & field events), bocce, Unified flag football, Unified volleyball, and skill events throughout the competition weekend. Unified sports partner people with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) to compete together in team-based sports.
“In the world of Special Olympics, whether you are enormously gifted or significantly challenged, each athlete who trains and competes has the desire to achieve. At this year’s State Summer Games, not only will over 1,300 Special Olympics athletes and their Unified partners from around New Mexico demonstrate the desire to find their best selves, but in doing so, all who watch them will be reminded of the simple beauty of the joy and celebration of sport,” said Randy Mascorella, Executive Director, Special Olympics New Mexico. “With each competition opportunity, their lives are changed, as are the attitudes of all of us who watch them.”
Who: The 2026 State Summer Games will bring together approximately 1,375 Special Olympics participants including 800+ Special Olympics athletes and 300+ Unified partners from 38 delegations across New Mexico.
When: Friday, May 29–Sunday, May 31, 2026
Where: Friday and Saturday events will be held at the UNM Track & Field and Soccer Complex. On Sunday the volleyball competition will be held at The Fieldhouse.
Downloadable Schedules & Venue Map:
State Summer Games Master Schedule
State Summer Games Sport Schedule
*Interested media, please check in at Nerve Center (see venue map). We will give at least 1 person in your party a press pass, and can connect you with Ms. Randy Mascorella, our Executive Director, for interviews. Interviews can be held Friday morning or Saturday. Friday night at Opening Ceremony is great for capturing footage but not for interviews.
State Summer Games Schedule Overview:
Friday, May 29
Location: UNM Track & Soccer Complex. Address: 1800 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE
- Track & field events: 10 AM–3 PM
- Friday interviews preferred between 10 AM–2 PM
- Opening Ceremony: 6:30 PM–8 PM
- Our Opening Ceremony will feature a parade of athletes, the Law Enforcement Torch Run State Relay Run “Final Leg” and lighting of the Special Olympics cauldron.
Saturday, May 30
Location: UNM Track & Soccer Complex. Address: 1800 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE
- Track & field events: 8 AM–4 PM
- Bocce: 8:00 AM–1:30 PM
- Unified flag football: 9 AM–3 PM
- Olympic Village will be open from 11 AM–2 PM, featuring Special Olympics souvenirs and fun activities for Special Olympics athletes and their families.
- Saturday is a great day for interviews with Ms. Randy Mascorella and any available athletes!
Sunday, May 31
Location: The Fieldhouse. Address: 4101 Paseo Del Norte NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113
- Unified volleyball: 8 AM–5:00 PM
*End time for all State Summer Games events is estimated. Times are subject to change.
About Special Olympics New Mexico:
Special Olympics New Mexico provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Today, Special Olympics New Mexico serves more than 3,700 athletes, offering training and competition in 11 sports. Special Olympics New Mexico is sponsored year-round and statewide by New Mexico True, Law Enforcement Torch Run, Chick-fil-A, Mountain States Constructors, Inc., French Funerals & Cremations, Legacy Church, Sunny Bunny, and Rudy’s “Country Store and Bar-B-Q”.
Learn more about Special Olympics New Mexico at: sonm.org