Amy Rounds, 2018 Vermont Mother of the Year®, knows what it means to give. As a veteran of the U.S. Army, she has served our country with a selflessness known by few. After volunteering for countless causes near to her heart, she continues to serve her family and community as a member of the Board of Directors for the Fall Mountain Special Olympics. As the recipient of AMI’s “Outstanding Military Mother” award, Amy was honored with a Golden Rule Grant for a non-profit organization near to her heart.
In Amy’s words:
Fall Mountain Special Olympics (FMSO) provides athletes with intellectual disabilities to partake in year round sports training and athletic competition. The opportunities we offer our athletes enables them to develop physical fitness skills and allows them to experience what it’s like to be a competitor as an individual and as a team. In addition the athletes are able to share their talents, skills and friendship with their families, friends and other Special Olympic Athletes throughout the state.
FMSO is an all volunteer organization. As a team we are responsible for our own budget. SONH guides us but it is the individual teams responsibility to raise their own funds without charging our athletes to participate. Each season costs our team different monies such as in bowling we have to pay for the use of the bowling alley for practice. In the winter we need to supply winter coats and pay the ski lift prices. In the spring we have to pay for the swim memberships. When our team participates in the State Games we have to pay for food, lodging, insurance fees, etc. Last year our winter season cost the team just over $7000.00. The Golden Rule Grant was used for our Summer Games held at the University of NH where we were able to provide lodging, uniforms, and meals for our athletes.
Without the support of organizations such as American Mothers, our group would not be able to make such a lasting impact on a group of people who deserve so much admiration for their work and dedication as Special Olympians.
Thank you, American Mothers for helping our team become Olympic winners.
FMSO is one of the eight non-profit organizations that received a Golden Rule Grant this year. Learn more about FMSO on their website, SONH.org. You can also support more organizations like FMSO by making a charitable contribution to the Golden Rule Grant Fund below.
