The 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games are less than 50 days away and now is the time to get involved and show your support! 

Even though general volunteer recruitment has come to a close, there are still opportunities for you to be a part of this monumental event. 

There are seven easy ways to get involved and show your support for the World Winter Games: 

1. Create your own online fundraising page to support the World Winter Games!

Create a team fundraiser or fundraise as an individual with our online fundraising tool.  User-friendly technology allows you to set a goal for your fundraising page or fundraising team, choose your own page layout and design, upload photos and even send emails to prospective supporters and invite others to join.  Delegation pages have also been created for each country attending the Games so supporters from around the world can support the Special Olympics delegation of their choice.  For more information, or to start building your fundraising page today, click here!

2.  Enter the “Be a fan. Share your spirit.” contest! 

Submit entries as an essay with a photo, or a video that demonstrates one of the shared athlete values of Strength, Determination, Inspiration, Community or Empowerment.  Selected content from entries will be exhibited during the World Winter Games in both Sun Valley and Boise.  Prizes will be awarded based on a combination of bi-weekly random drawings, plus 14 finalists along with one grand prize winner will be selected from a panel of judges.  For more information, or to submit an entry today, click here!

3. Purchase a World Winter Games Idaho Lottery Scratch™ ticket!

The Idaho Lottery has created a $1 World Winter Games Scratch™ ticket with an opportunity for Lottery players to contribute all or a portion of their ticket winnings to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. Players can win from $1 to a top prize of $3,000 and have the ability to donate 25%, 50% or 100% of their winnings to the World Winter Games!  Tickets are available throughout the state of Idaho at local retailers.  

4.  Purchase a World Winter Games license plate!

The 2008 Idaho Legislature has created a new special interest license plate program to help promote the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho.  An initial program fee of $35 will be charged when the plate is first purchased with each subsequent renewal costing $25, and all but $10.00 of the special program fees go to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games!  To purchase the new plate, contact your local county auto-licensing office. 

5. Purchase one of Moxie Java’s World Winter Games inspired coffee blends! 

To raise awareness for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, Moxie Java has produced three specialty coffee blends inspired by the World Winter Games.  The blends, named Champions Gold, Smooth Silver and Bronze Blend are available for purchase at all Moxie Java and Treasure Valley Wal-Mart locations, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the World Winter Games! 

6. Request a fundraising kit from McCain Foods!

McCain Foods has developed the McCain Foods School Program, designed to be a fun promotion for Idaho schools to raise money for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.  Though it was originally designed to raise awareness for the World Winter Games in Idaho schools, anyone can be a part of this fun and easy initiative.  All schools or groups interested in being a part of the program have to do is request a fundraising kit. The kit contains 250 bracelets, which when sold at the set price of $2 a piece will raise $500 for the World Winter Games.  For more information on the McCain Foods School Program or to request a fundraising kit for your school or group, click here or call 1.800.952.4432.

7. Donate value-in-kind goods to the World Winter Games!

The World Winter Games is not just in need of dollars to support this event, but goods as well.  To fulfill this need, the World Winter Games has created a website listing all goods still needed, in hopes that corporations, small businesses and individuals in the community will step up to help.  For more information, or to view the list of goods still needed for the World Winter Games, visit www.ValueInKind.com.  

**The ideas above are simple suggestions on how you can support the World Winter Games.  The Games Organizing Committee (GOC) welcomes any other ideas you may have, and encourages your creativity in supporting this great event.