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 in 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
New Mexico Law Enforcement Torch Run 2026 State Relay Run
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Barbara Love, NMLETR Liaison
barbara@sonm.org
505-263-5986
New Mexico Law Enforcement agencies begin the 1,600 mile State Relay Run for Special Olympics New Mexico
NEW MEXICO, May 18: The New Mexico Law Enforcement Torch Run (NMLETR) for Special Olympics State Relay Run kicks off today and will continue throughout the state until the Final Leg on Friday, May 29 in Albuquerque. During the annual State Relay Run, hundreds of law enforcement and public safety personnel from a variety of municipal, county, fire rescue, tribal, state, and federal agencies will carry the Flame of Hope Torch throughout New Mexico while raising funds and awareness for Special Olympics New Mexico.
Known as the “Guardians of the Flame of Hope,” these statewide public safety officers, joined by friends and family members, will travel a combined 1,600 miles by foot and bicycle across New Mexico’s roads and highways, bringing the Flame of Hope torch to the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Special Olympics New Mexico State Summer Games in Albuquerque on Friday, May 29.
“Law enforcement agencies across our state gather proudly to carry the Flame of Hope torch, to raise awareness about the needs and incredible abilities of our Special Olympics athletes,” said LETR State Director retired Sgt. Travis Spruell of the Farmington Police Department. “This is one of the most honorable services for our law enforcement community and we cannot wait to help kick off the Summer Games.”
The State Relay Run starts on May 18 from the four corners of the state: Farmington, Taos, Carlsbad, and Las Cruces. The torch is handed off from one local law enforcement agency to the next as it makes its journey to Albuquerque.
State Relay Run Leg Routes and Dates:
View State Relay Run Routes: https://sonm.org/letr-resources/state-relay-run-info/
- May 18–29: The Southwestern torch is carried from Las Cruces to Albuquerque
- May 18–29: The Southeastern torch is carried from Carlsbad & Lovington (through Moriarty) to Albuquerque
- May 26–29: The Northwestern torch is carried from Farmington (through Gallup) to Albuquerque
- May 18–29: The Northeastern torch is carried from Taos to Albuquerque
- May 29: The Final Leg torch is carried into the 2026 Special Olympics New Mexico State Summer Games located at the UNM Track & Field and Soccer Complex in Albuquerque
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.orgor call 505.856.0342.
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Special Olympics New Mexico Athletes Run in the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Becks Rainsberger
rainsberger@sonm.org
817-929-7786
Two Special Olympics New Mexico Athletes Finish the 2026 Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Ben Blewett completes the 50K and Bella Sieberg completes the 15-mile
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. – May 13, 2026: This past weekend two Special Olympics New Mexico athletes earned a place among some of the toughest trail runners in the Southwest at the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs (JMTR) in Los Alamos.
Special Olympics athlete Ben Blewett completed the 50k (31-mile) course in approximately 10 hours, while Bella Sieberg crossed the finish line of the 15-mile distance in approximately 4 hours and 38 minutes. Both proudly represented Special Olympics New Mexico on one of the most demanding trail courses in the country. Additionally, these athletes will be representing New Mexico at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, June 20–26 in Minnesota. They will compete in athletics (track & field). These athletes are redefining what’s possible as they pursue ambitious goals.
The Jemez Mountain Trail Runs feature technical single-track, steep climbs and descents, and high-altitude terrain ranging from 7,000 feet to over 10,000 feet through the Jemez mountains and along the rim of the Valles Caldera.
“Ben and Bella showed what’s possible when heart meets the mountain,” said Adam Trubow, Special Olympics New Mexico board member. “Their finishes are a powerful reminder that inclusion belongs everywhere, including on some of the hardest trails in the country.”
Special Olympics New Mexico extends sincere thanks to Jemez Mountain Trail Runs race directors Laura Martinez and Maria Musgrave, whose leadership and welcoming race day environment made it possible for Ben and Bella to compete alongside the broader ultrarunning community. Their support reflects the very best of the trail running spirit and helps advance inclusion in endurance sports.
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, French Funerals & Cremations, Sunny Bunny, Legacy Church, Mountain States Constructors, Inc., and Rudy’s “Country Store and Bar-B-Q”.
Learn more about Special Olympics New Mexico at sonm.org
About the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
The Jemez Mountain Trail Runs (JMTR) are annual races held each May in Los Alamos, New Mexico. JMTR offers 50-mile, 50K, and 15-mile distances on rugged, high-altitude terrain. Learn more at jemezmountaintrailruns.org
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Project ALL STAR
Athletes: Join us at the Special Olympics New Mexico state office on Saturday, June 13, from 10 AM to 1 PM for the Special Olympics Project ALL STAR, In-Person Health Assessment.
We invite Special Olympics athletes ages 18 and over to be global leaders in improving the health of people with intellectual disabilities. Project ALL STAR is the first project of its kind designed to understand how Special Olympics participation impacts athlete health.
Athletes attending State Summer Games in May can stop by Olympic Village to learn more and enroll in person on Saturday, May 30, from 10 AM–12 PM.
To learn more details and be a part of Project ALL STAR, fill out the online interest form or email Rocio Miller at rmiller@specialolympics.org .
UNM Basketball Clinic
Athletes and coaches: Join us for a UNM Basketball Clinic on Saturday, June 6 at Davalos Practice Center from 11 AM–1 PM! Register here!
Spread the Love Color Run
Join us for the 2nd annual Spread the Love Color Run on Saturday, July 11, at Balloon Fiesta Park, hosted by the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office! Proceeds benefit Special Olympics New Mexico.
There is a 5K run/walk ($45 adults/$25 youth) and a 1K run/walk ($25 adults/$15 youth) starting at 8AM on Saturday, July 11.
All registrations include a t-shirt PRIOR TO July 1. Shirts cannot be guaranteed for registrations after July 1.
Packet pick up is on Friday, July 10th from 5PM to 7PM at Sports Systems, 6915 Montgomery Blvd. NE. For those who cannot pick their packet up on the 10th, you can pick it up prior to the race starting from 6:30am to 7:30am.
A Run Above – 5k Fun Run, Roll and Stroll
Join us for A Run Above – 5k Fun Run, Roll and Stroll on Saturday, May 2 at A Park Above in Rio Rancho! 9:00 AM start time, so please arrive before to check-in! This is a free event and an inclusive 5k experience allowing people of all abilities to participate. You can run, roll or stroll through one of A Park Above’s 2 certified courses. This 5k is accessible for everyone!! Food trucks and vendors will also be present. A link to register as a participant or volunteer is included below!