Poppy Bank Epicenter Sponsors Local Special Olympics Event At Santa Rosa High School.

Poppy Bank Epicenter sponsored the "Olympic Village" at a local Special Olympics event held at Santa Rosa High School, providing engaging activities and water bottles for the student athletes.

Julio DeSantos (Marketing Manager)
Poppy Bank Epicenter
Date: 2/12/25

Heart, Hustle, and Inclusivity: How Special Olympics Inspires Our Community.

After every local Special Olympics event, our team leaves feeling inspired by the power of community and inclusion.

The Special Olympics is a remarkable organization committed to offering year-round sports training and competitions for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We greatly admire and support their mission to promote inclusion, boost confidence, and create lasting friendships through the power of sports. This directly aligns with our mission to provide fun for everyone by offering convenient access to a unique mix of sports and entertainment attractions.

A Unified Day of Basketball.

On Friday, February 7th, seventeen local schools from different districts came together to participate in a Special Olympics Unified Basketball event at Santa Rosa High School. Participating schools included Santa Rosa High, Elsie Allen, Montgomery, Analy, Windsor High, Ridgeway, Petaluma High, Lattice, ANOVA, Hilliard Comstock Middle, Twin Hills Middle, Herbert Slater Middle, Windsor Middle, Petaluma Junior High, Robert Louis Stevenson Middle, Abraham Lincoln Elementary, and St. Helena Opportunity Program.

The opening ceremony kicked off at 10:00 AM sharp. Student-athletes wore eager expressions as they proudly gathered behind their respective school banners. Santa Rosa High School’s gym was packed with student athletes, volunteers, and spectators, along with teachers, coaches, staff, and parents.

Our local Best Buddies students showed up to help facilitate the event, sporting bright yellow vests. Student volunteers took on the roles of referees, timekeepers, and even fill-in athletes for teams that needed extra assistance. Their support made a lasting impact on the Special Olympics athletes. Every cheer and high five made each athlete feel like a true All-Star.

Best Buddies: Building Inclusion Beyond the Court.

Best Buddies is an international program that works on local school campuses to promote activities, events, and field trips for students living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Do you want to support our local Best Buddies? They are currently seeking donations for their Sonoma County Best Buddies Prom, taking place on Sunday, April 27th. This inclusive annual event provides our local youth living with IDD a special prom experience. The event is made possible through the collaborative efforts by Best Buddies chapters from multiple Sonoma County high schools. Donate here.

Poppy Bank Epicenter Sponsors the Olympic Village.

Our Poppy Bank Epicenter team proudly sponsored the Olympic Village area, located outside the gym, by providing additional activities for students to enjoy. We also handed out complimentary water bottles, drawstring sports bags, sunglasses, and small soccer ball stress balls.

Lewis Early Learning Academy’s Principal and Program Manager Kateland Pinella shared what Poppy Bank Epicenter’s support means to our local Special Olympics program:

“We are incredibly grateful to Epicenter for sponsoring the Olympic Village at this year’s Special Olympics Unified Basketball event! Their generosity and commitment to our community made a meaningful impact on our athletes, families, and supporters. By providing engaging activities and complimentary water bottles, Epicenter helped create a fun and welcoming space where athletes could celebrate their achievements and recharge for their events. Their dedication to inclusion and support for our schools truly embodies the spirit of this event.”

A Commitment to Community.

Poppy Bank Epicenter’s Senior Manager of Sports and Business Development, Nikki Elliott, has been working closely with Kateland Pinella and the Special Olympics to provide resources and ensure a memorable event for all student-athletes.

Nikki Elliott shared her favorite part of participating in these Special Olympics events:

“My favorite part of attending our local Special Olympics events is witnessing the strength of our community as it gathers together to empower and celebrate each other’s unique differences through the love of sports.”

After the Special Olympics Unified Basketball event, every single person left a winner.