Dr. Croft Supports Community Efforts

Special Olympics Oregon was the focus of 28 hours of broadcasting on ESPN Sports Radio 1080 The FAN.

All of the Croft family support the Special Olympics.

This started 3 p.m. Tuesday, December 9^th and went through 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The program was raising funds in support of athlete programs and Special Olympics Oregon. Dr. Croft of Columbia Orthodontics was anxious to help. Special Olympics have always been something he has supported. When his daughter, Lauren, started participating, he became even more involved. This year the Columbia Orthodontics office donated a full set of braces. One lucky individual paid $4,000 for orthodontic care from start to finish, which basically amounts to two or more years of service at one of the three Columbia Orthodontics locations.   The price of braces isn’t always the same for everyone, but this particular donation was valued at $5,200. The $4,000 which came to the Special Olympics Oregon will help 12 athletics for a full year. Click here to contact us at Columbia Orthodontics. There are 14 different Olympic-style sports with three sports season throughout the years, with statewide competitions and training in winter, summer and fall. Volunteer coaches are responsible for training the athletes. Volunteers must complete a certification program prior to becoming Special Olympics coaches and must attend training schools before each season. The impact donations have on Special Olympics include:

• Teaches skills that increase potential for employment and independence.
• Promotes community volunteerism and community unity involving 7,000 volunteers
• Improves educational performance for students with and without intellectual disability
• Promotes greater respect for individuals with intellectual disability
• Provides critical networking and information exchange for families
• Impacts the economy in Oregon communities as this large population learns self-sufficiency
• Teaches “tools for life” to the largest disability population in Oregon.

To read more about the Special Olympics program go here.