Powell Takes on Washington, DC with MT Special Olympics

In February, Cardwell resident Thad Powell took a powerful message with him to Washington, DC, representing Montana at the Special Olympics Capitol Hill Day, celebrated in person for the first time in two years.

Powell, who is a Special Olympics Montana (SOMT) Health Messenger visited the capitol with SOMT staff Nancy Undercofler, meeting with Representative att Rosendale, Congressman Ryan Zinke, Senator Steve Daines, and Senator Jon Tester to discuss the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools, which are creating school climates of acceptance and inclusion throughout the country.

Capitol Hill Day, celebrated this year on February 14, provides an opportunity for Special Olympics athletes, serving as leaders and self-advocates, to raise awareness and educate their Members of Congress about the critical work Special Olympics is doing in the sport, health, and education fields. This year, representatives from 47 states and the District of Columbia will participate in hundreds of educational meetings with leaders on the Hill.

Powell has been a Montana Special Olympics athlete for seven years, beginning at the age of 17. He has competed in skiing, bowling, basketball, swimming, javelin, and turbojav, and cycling. His favorite sport, he notes in his SOMT biography, is skiing because he loves the outdoors.

"One of my favorite memories was when I was skiing at Big Sky with two volunteers who took me to the ski patrol hut at the top of the mountain," Powell said in his profile.

Powell began his work as a SOMT Health Messenger in 2020; for his practicum, he and his mom made healthy lunches for his team and led warm-up exercises before practices.

Powell, who was born with a live disorder that causes issues processing protein in his blood, is currently working on getting into shape by running on a treadmill, swimming at YMCA, and doing sit-ups.

"Another favorite memory of Special Olympics is when I got to bring the torch into Butte from Anaconda during the Law Enforcement Torch Run," Powell said in his profile.

Did you know that people with intellectual disabilities die 16-20 years earlier than their peers without intellectual disabilities? This is because of undiagnosed and untreated conditions. This is something SOMT works to change.

On a team of 10 Special Olympic athletes, seven will be overweight or obese and be at risk for chronic health conditions. Seven will have problems with flexibility, strength, and balance. Six will have high blood pressure. Five will need a new eyeglass prescription. Three will fail a hearing test. Three will have untreated tooth decay.

This is why the health screenings SOMT does at their major sporting events are so important. Funding for SOMT health programming helps athletes ages 2-72.