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Posts by Rebecca Rainsberger:

Isotopes July 18 news image cropped

Topes Notes: Isotopes, Special Olympics, first responders team up for charity softball game

Excerpt from The Albuquerque Journal, July 15: It took a few seconds for all the clanging of James Keefner’s medals to stop making noise as he walked up behind the podium on Tuesday at Isotopes Park.

In all, the 33-year-old unofficial mayor of Isotopes Park/grounds crew assistant/between-innings-dance-extraordinaire/general purveyor of good vibes for the team, says he has “more than 1,000” Special Olympics medals and trophies back at home.

His mom said it was definitely more than 100, but hey, what do moms know, anyway? We’ll call it 1,000.

Tuesday, James was just proud to be wearing three of those medals as he and fellow Albuquerque Isotopes employee Chris Dixon, also a longtime competitor in the Special Olympics, helped announce some of their fellow Special Olympians who will be playing alongside Albuquerque and Bernalillo County law enforcement and fire fighting personnel in Friday night’s first “Guns & Hoses” charity softball game at Isotopes Park prior to the Triple-A team’s game against the Reno Aces.

2025 100 Friends Fundraiser Adam Trubow and Tim Harris

2025 100 Friends for 100 Miles

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
To arrange interviews, please contact Becks Rainsberger at rainsberger@sonm.org
or contact Adam Trubow at adam@talrealty.com 505-440-0454

New Mexico Man Runs 100 Miles to send 30 Athletes to 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

Local ultramarathon runner hits the trail to raise $100,000 for Special Olympics New Mexico
Albuquerque: July 16, 2025 – On August 16, New Mexico ultrarunner Adam Trubow will take on the grueling Leadville Trail 100 to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics New Mexico—joined by Special Olympics athletes along the way. Trubow is challenging New Mexicans to “become a friend” and support Special Olympics New Mexico through the campaign, 100 Friends for 100 Miles. Across the 2025 and 2026 campaigns, Trubow aims to raise $100,000—enough to fully fund Special Olympics New Mexico’s trip to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota. The 2025 campaign will end after the Leadville Trail 100 Run on August 16. Visit 100friends100miles.com to learn more.
“It’s an honor to support these incredible athletes on their journey to Minnesota,” said Trubow. “Your support helps them compete at the national level—and create moments they’ll never forget. Let’s rally behind Team New Mexico together.”
This campaign will directly support Team New Mexico. Team New Mexico is a delegation of 47 people, including the 30 athletes who will compete at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. Funds raised will be used to help absorb the cost of athlete, coach, and staff uniforms, travel, meals, and accommodations. Donations are open now through August 17 at 100friends100miles.com. Every mile matters—every dollar gets them closer to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.
About the Leadville Trail 100 Run: The Leadville Trail 100 Run is a harsh out-and-back ultramarathon that pushes runners to their limits as they run 100 miles through Colorado alpine wilderness, accumulating 18,000 feet of elevation gain throughout the race. The race begins at 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 16 with a 30 hour race cut off at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 17.
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 3,200 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, Legacy Church, Rudy’s “Country Store and Bar-B-Q”, and BlueCross BlueShield of New Mexico. Learn more about Special Olympics New Mexico at sonm.org
2025 SSG Carlsbad athlete photo for news

Carlsbad Boy Goes Viral at SONM State Summer Games

Excerpt from KOAT Channel 7 News: A video of Carlsbad resident Jaydon Madrid is going viral on social media after the 8-year-old made a mid-race pit stop to give his mom a kiss at [Special Olympics New Mexico’s 2025 State Summer Games] in early June.

Jaydon ran the 100-meter sprint at the 2025 Summer Games. Anet Madrid, his mother, posted a video to TikTok, where it garnered thousands of views and comments from around the world.

“I shared it so our friends could see, and I didn’t expect it to go viral the way it did,” Madrid told KOAT.

Jaydon has a rare condition called Polymicrogyria, which means he has many small folds in his brain. He also has autism and is non-verbal.

Madrid says she didn’t know if her son would walk, talk or eat. He has been able to surpass his goals. At 3 years old, Jaydon started walking using a gait trainer and then started running on his own.

“I put him in track because he’s really good at running. He’s running any chance he gets,” Madrid said.

Artesia Daily Press Kirksey photo

Dedication Fuels Special Olympics Chairs

Excerpt taken from Artesia Daily Press, June 2: Caring for a son with developmental disabilities led to a lifelong calling for Lee and Patrick Kirksey.

And that calling led the couple to their current role as co-chairs of the Area 4 Special Olympics, a position they have held since succeeding Carolyn Olson of Carlsbad who retired six months ago after 50 years as the organization’s [Area 4 Director].

“We are very fortunate to call Lee and Patrick Kirksey our new Special Olympics New Mexico Area 4 Director and sidekick,” Olson said in an email. “They bring incredible heart, incredible thinking, incredible imagination, and incredible enthusiasm to the program. Our amazing athletes will continue to succeed under their expert leadership.”

Randy Mascorella, [Special Olympics New Mexico’s Executive Director], said the organization was “blessed beyond measure” to have the Kirkseys “assume the role now that Carolyn retired as the Area 4 Director.”

SONM_State_Games_20250531_Saturday-146Track smiling athletes photo

Special Olympics NM State Summer Games Now Underway

Excerpt from KOAT News 7, May 30: Hundreds of athletes are in Albuquerque to compete in the Special Olympics New Mexico State Summer Games.

“I am really excited. I already competed in three events this morning,” said Tim Harris. “The long jump, the shotput and the 100.”

Tim is no stranger to the organization. Since the age of 13, he’s competed in Special Olympics and now at 39, he hasn’t eased up. But seeing him compete is something his parents didn’t imagine could happen.

“When Tim was born, we weren’t prepared for that. In modern times, there’s so much more prenatal testing. So many parents have the knowledge before the baby is born. Tim was our second. We were not aware,” said Keith Harris, Tim’s father. “There was a period at the beginning that was pretty dark for us, like it just felt like things had changed in an unexpected way and went through a period of grief, quite honestly. But had I known then what I know now, I would have been jumping for joy.”

He told KOAT Tim has become his biggest inspiration and his teacher, showing the Harris family and everyone they meet how to live life fully and embrace every moment.

2025 State Summer Games

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Media Alert

Contact:
Becks Rainsberger
rainsberger@sonm.org

May 30—June 1: Special Olympics New Mexico will host the 2025 State Summer Games in Albuquerque

 

What: Albuquerque, Friday, May 30 – Sunday, June 1: More than 860 Special Olympics New Mexico athletes and 320 Unified partners will compete in the 2025 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. Unified sports partner people with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) to compete together in team-based sports. “I believe Special Olympics New Mexico’s State Summer Games is an experience that every one of us can enjoy, and that every person needs to see at least once.  Special Olympics athletes will show us Sport without entitlement, unyielding effort in spite of challenges, and the joy and celebration that comes with simply being welcomed and included,” shared Randy Mascorella, Executive Director, Special Olympics New Mexico.  “Our Special Olympics athletes are great teachers.  They remind us that when we do something to better the lives of others, our lives can also change in ways we never imagined.”

Who: The 2025 State Summer Games will bring together approximately 1,189 Special Olympics participants from 36 delegations.

When: Friday, May 30 – Sunday, June 1

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

State Summer Games Venue Map

*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 tough for interviews.

State Summer Games Schedule Overview:

 Friday, May 30
Location: UNM Track & Soccer Complex. Address: 1800 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE

  • Track & field events: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Friday interviews preferred before 2:00 p.m.
  • Opening Ceremony: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
    • 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 31
Location: UNM Track & Soccer Complex. Address: 1800 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE

  • Track and field events: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Skill events (NE corner of track) 9 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Bocce: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Unified flag football: 9:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Olympic Village will feature Healthy Athletes® free health screenings for Special Olympics athletes: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Great day for interviews with Ms. Randy Mascorella and any available athletes!

Sunday, June 1
Location: The Fieldhouse. Address: 4101 Paseo Del Norte NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113

  • Unified volleyball: 8 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

*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 3,200 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, Legacy Church, BlueCross BlueShield of New Mexico, and Rudy’s “Country Store and Bar-B-Q”.

Learn more about Special Olympics New Mexico at: sonm.org

SONM photo example 1

Olympic Village General Volunteers

Olympic Village General Volunteers

This information and form is for Olympic Village volunteers from organizations like Civitan, who will support at venues in Olympic Village during the 2025 Special Olympics New Mexico State Summer Games. If you’re not sure if this is the correct volunteer shift for you, please email us first.

Olympic Village General Volunteer Form

Date: Saturday, May 30

Time: 10 AM – 2:00 PM

Parking & Check-in: Please park in the general (large) parking lot. Check in at the Information tent, next to the Souvenirs tent, in Olympic Village. Map included below.

2025 Olympic Village Map

Esports article photo for news

The E in Esports Stands for Everyone

Excerpt from NMACT.org, April 11:

For the first time in the history of the NMAA State Esports Championships, schools played a Unified Esports match.  Del Norte took on La Cueva in Rocket League on Friday afternoon at the APS Berna Facio Professional Development Center.  “Our whole mission is to try and be as inclusive as possible, with no cuts for our program,” said La Cueva Esports coach Nick Romero.  “It’s really good social and emotional learning for them.”

“My policy at Del Norte is ‘Everyone is welcome’,” said Del Norte Esports coach Marta Anderson.  “We really try hard to get everyone there, including all the new adaptive equipment the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools just gave us through their program.”  Anderson said they now have ‘smash pads’ for kids with cerebral palsy, so they can participate in spite of any physical limitation.  “I also have a young man that’s in a wheelchair and I’m excited for him to get use a new joystick with his chin…so he can play Smash Bros. with his buddies.”

Anderson believes having Unified programs helps bring the community together.

2025 SO World Winter Games LETR Final Leg

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For Immediate Release

Farmington Police Sergeant and Special Olympics Athlete Selected for 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games Final Leg

New Mexico – We are thrilled to announce that Special Olympics athlete Shelby Peterson from Gallup, along with law enforcement Sergeant Travis Spruell from the Farmington Police Department have been chosen to join the Law Enforcement Torch Run® Final Leg for the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy. As part of the Final Leg team, Peterson and Spruell will carry the prestigious Flame of Hope through various cities in Italy from March 1 to March 8, acting as Guardians of the Flame®.

Only eight Special Olympics athletes and eighty-two law enforcement officers from around the world were selected for this honor, representing their local Torch Run and Special Olympics Programs. This significant event marks a long-standing tradition where law enforcement officers from around the globe participate in the Final Leg, leading up to the Special Olympics World Summer and Winter Games.

The Flame of Hope will commence its journey on February 25 with a ceremonial lighting at Zappeion Hall in Athens, Greece, using the sun’s rays. The flame will then travel to Rome for a blessing by the Pope before heading to Turin. Starting March 1, the Final Leg, comprising 90 law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes and a logistics team of 16, will escort the Flame of Hope through the Piedmont Region of Italy, culminating in its delivery to the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025 on March 8.

“I am so excited, honored, and humbled to be one of the athletes chosen to run in the LETR Final Leg in Italy,” Peterson shared. “I will be the first Native American woman from the state of New Mexico representing the United States and the Navajo Nation Tribe. I cannot wait to meet new people, experience their culture, and eat their food. I love that through LETR, I’m able to go to new places, meet new people, and make lifelong friends.”

“Shelby is a strong Diné (Navajo) woman, and a beloved Special Olympics Gallup athlete and leader,” said Janie Lee Hall, Special Olympics New Mexico Area 6 Director. “Shelby’s teammates, coaches, family members, and the Gallup community are all very proud of her accomplishments and are thrilled to have her represent us by carrying the torch at the Special Olympics World Winter Games!”

Sgt. Travis Spruell also expressed his gratitude for being chosen to participate in the Final Leg. “It is an incredible honor to be selected by the state to represent New Mexico in the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg,” Spruell said. “Supporting Special Olympics athletes and carrying the Flame of Hope alongside them is a privilege. I look forward to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to promote inclusion and celebrate the incredible athletes who inspire us all.”

About the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics

The Law Enforcement Torch Run® (LETR) for Special Olympics is the largest world-wide grassroots fundraising and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics. The LETR mission is to increase awareness and resources for the Special Olympics movement, which provides year- round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Law Enforcement Torch Run has raised over 1 billion US dollars since 1981 for local Special Olympics programs. More than 100,000 law enforcement members and Special Olympics athletes, referred to as Guardians of the Flame, carry the Special Olympics Flame of Hope through local communities to the Opening Ceremony of Special Olympics local, state, provincial, national and world games. For more information visit www.letr.org.

About Special Olympics

 

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health, and leadership. With nearly four million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and one million coaches and volunteers in more than 170 countries, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 50,000 games and competitions every year. Engage with us on: X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org.

 

About Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025

The world’s largest sports and humanitarian event is coming to Turin, Italy. 1,500 athletes representing 102 countries will gather for the sporting experience of a lifetime—competing at the Winter Games taking place from 8 – 15 March. Sports disciplines featured are Alpine Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, DanceSport, Figure Skating, Floorball, Short Track Speed Skating, Snowboarding and Snowshoeing.

Special Olympics, the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 Organizing Committee and Special Olympics Italy proudly thank our sponsors for their generous support and commitment, specifically The Coca-Cola Company, Proud Global Partner of the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025 and Founding Partner of Special Olympics; Toyota Motor Europe, Presenting Sponsor and Mobility Partner; Intesa Sanpaolo Bank, Presenting Sponsor; and our Main Sponsors Brightspot, Lions Clubs International Foundation; and Official Sponsors ESPN and Robe di Kappa.

We also thank regional and local Italian organizations for their support of the Winter Games: the Italian Government Federal Ministries of Sport and Youth, Tourism, and Disabilities, Piedmont Region, City of Turin, City of Bardonecchia, City of Sestriere, City of Pragelato, the Italian National Olympic Committee and the Italian Paralympic Committee.

For more information on the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit https://www.turin2025.org

Organ Mountain HS Photo

Organ Mountain High School Hosts “Play Unified” Basketball Game, Receives National Recognition

Excerpt from LCPS.net, January 29: It was a day of celebration, sportsmanship, and inclusion at Organ Mountain High School as the Knights proudly hosted the 2025 NM Special Olympics Play Unified Basketball Game. The event brought together students from Las Cruces, Centennial, and Mayfield High Schools for an inspiring Unified Basketball tournament that highlighted the power of teamwork, unity, and diversity.

During the event, Organ Mountain High School received a national banner and plaque from ESPN, naming them the New Mexico Unified Champion School (UCS) of the Year and one of the Top 50 Unified Champion Schools in the Nation. This prestigious recognition celebrates Organ Mountain’s unwavering commitment to fostering inclusion and creating opportunities for students with and without disabilities to participate in sports as equals.

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