NOTICE: In person Area 26 programs are returning for Fall. Watch for details in the newsletter.
Online Area 26 activities and programs are ongoing. See the descriptions below.
Please stay safe, healthy, and get vaccinated if possible.
The COVID Waiver form is now available and must be completed BEFORE any athlete, coach or volunteer will be eligible to return to play. You will also need to submit proof of vaccination for many activitiies. See details in the Athlete or Volunteer Sections
Who We Are
Special Olympics Virgina (SOVA) provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This gives them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Area 26 services SOVA in Fairfax County, Arlington and Alexandria as part of the Potomac Region.
Area Council
Chair: Elaine Tilton
Secretary: Abby Lacy
Treasurer: Bernie Woolfley
Athlete Representative: Max Hershberger
IT Coordinator: Jay Hoffmeier
Volunteer Coordinator: Tejas Patel
Referee Co-Coordinator: Jeffrey Eskridge
Athlete Registration Coordinator: Nancy Robbins
Fundraising Chair: Patrick DeLapp and Katherine Martin
Medical Coordinator: Christine Fowler
Spring/Summer Sports Director: Nancy Julia
Fall/Winter Sports Director: Elaine Tilton
At Large: Jeff McGiboney, Chuck Adkins Blanch
Athlete Rep Mentor: Billy Duquette
Senior Director Potomac Region: Veronica Jennings
Greetings from the Chair
Welcome to our community website! My name is Elaine Tilton, and I am both the Chair and the Director of Fall and Winter Programs for Area 26.
Locally we offer 23 sports to more than 2500 athletes year round.
We are always in need of volunteers who are willing to share their time and skills with our athletes. They will surely show you that they possess the same level of excitement and interest that you have.
If you are already involved, please take a look around the new site as there is an abundance of information available. I would appreciate your comments and suggestions.
Sincerely,
Elaine Tilton
Our Local Sponsors
Five 9 Group Inc.
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Azalea Charities
BASH Boxing Rosslyn
Bronson Bierhall
Civitan Club of Arlington
Mt.Vernon Columbus Club, Inc.
Porto Charities, Inc.
Revealing the Champion in all of us
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
Area 26 is the local organization managing Special Oympics teams, athletes and events in Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria. We support over 3500 competitors in sports year-round.
If you have questions, feel free to contact us by clicking below.
Newsletter Archive
For more information about our activities, past editions of the newsletter are available here
Just Click the month to view.
Special Editions
Besides the normal Monthly edition, we have published several special editions for events that stand on their own. These can be found by clicking their links here:
2019 Fall State Games
2020 NBA Cares with Chris Carter
2020 Basketball State Games
2020 Athletes at Home Edition