82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 21, 1992 Special Olympics Supported By Milk Cooperative GAY N. BROWNLEE Somerset Co. Correspondent SOMERSET (Somerset Co.) It was a bitterly cold, late Febru ary evening, but area roadways were clear of snow and ice. In the ballroom of the Ramada Inn, three industrious females were whip ping up a raspberry milk punch to serve to the hundreds of special athletes, officials and guests who were gathered for the Pennsylva nia Special Olympics. The crowd was across the corri dor in the glass-enclosed Tropical Courtyard of the motel, dancing to the vibrating rhythms of popular music supplied by a Johnstown radio station announcer. The first day of special Olympic competi tion, held at the Hidden Valley Mountain Resort, was now his tory. The time had come to relax. On this night, the three women whipping up the punch were Dor othy Naugle, dairy marketing spe :ialist for the Allied Milk Produc ers’ Cooperative, Inc.; Mary Beth Lieb, Cambria County Dairy Promotion committee; and Audrey Stahl, mother of the Somerset County dairy princess. With their three electric mixers whirring away in three separate lishpans filled with mauve-hued, gooey concoctions, the three were combining vanilla ice cream, rasp berry sherbet and lemon-lime car xmated beverage, prior to adding he last ingredient which would be milk. Waiting on the sidelines to serve the milk punch to the guests were two dairy princesses: Vicki Stahl, Somerset County; and Car ssa Itle, Cambria County. Allied Milk Producers’ Cooperative, Inc. was experienc ng its first involvement with the ’a. Special Olympics. It had just contributed the historically Dorothy Naugle Is flanked by Pittsburgh Steeler, Jerrv Olsavsky, left, and Bill Par- Ise, right, president of the Pennsylvania Special Olympics. Special Olympians and guests gathered for a dance and refreshments. argest, single cash donation 510 thousand to the organiza ion. Naugle says the money paid or the production of Special Dlympic coupon booklets in con junction with the Georgian Place Outlet Mall and other Somerset area businesses. On the backside of each coupon in each booklet was the same catchy advertise ment for the Allied Milk Produc ers’ Cooperative, Inc. The com bined total of coupons promoting Allied Milk Producers’ Coopera tive, Inc. in the booklets was around one million, according to Naugle. The Allied Milk Producers’ Cooperative, Inc. is funded solely by member farmers in a group of nine Pennsylvania counties. Nau gle, its only employee, has her office near Hooversville. The job finds her keeping in touch with dairy organizations in the different counties and always planning marketing strategies. Each month she meets with the board of directors. Supporting the Pennsylvania Special Olympics, says Naugle, provided, “A chance for us to be a first in working with this group. We saw it as an opportunity for promotion,” she says. "They (Olympic committee) allowed us to do anything we wanted during the Special Olympics.” So Naugle planned to serve the milk punch during the dance and milkshakes during the carnival. She made cream cheese and Bava rian mints for the final Olympic banquet and had recipe cards printed. ‘That’s also where promotion comes in,” she says. “People take the recipe and then they go home and try it.” Other persons helping during the carnival were Barbara Brant, Sue Tressler, and Evelyn Moyer from the Somerset County Dairy Committee, Erica Walker and Amy Gontis, the Somerset County alternate dairy princess. The Allied Milk Producers’ Cooperative, Inc. believes in the value of special Olympics as a use ful tool, for the whole objective of the games is to bring persons with mental retardation into the larger society under conditions (sports activities) whereby they are accepted, respected, and given an opportunity to become useful and productive citizens. Special athletes receive a mini mum of eight weeks of training with a certified volunteer coach, learning sport skills. Thus a foundation is laid for lifetime fit ness, increasing social skills, con fidence, discipline, and self esteem, as the athlete/coach rela tionship develops. Additionally, the intellectual ability of the spe cial athlete is continually being stretched. Twenty-one seasonal sports are offered for competition in the Spe cial Olympics. They include swimming, diving, cycling, equestrian (horse-riding), hockey, soccer, bowling, basketball, run ning, power-lifting, roller and ice skating, speed skating, alpine and cross-country skiing, tennis, vol leyball, and others. As Bill Brice says, “Athletes have the opportunity to experience success.” Brice is the Western Pennsylva nia development director for the Special Olympics. There are 23 thousand of these athletes in the state, according to Brice. He says approximately 350 are selected for state competition, having been the best in their level of ability. Last Shown wearing their tiara and banner are dairy princes ses Carlssa Itle, left, Cambria County, and Vicki Stahl, Somerset County. year 88 Pennsylvanians were in the international competition, he says. Vince Malloy, 33, of Chester County, is a good example of the beneficial effects of Special Olympics. He’s gone to the inter nationals twice. In 1987, Malloy says he won two gold and two bronze medals in the equestrian events. In 1991, he also won a gold medal in cycling. This year, he was in the alpine skiing event “I want to start coaching and get qualified in several things,” says Malloy confidently. The spokes man for Athletes For Outreach makes many public appearances and has addressed the Philadel phia 76ers’ professional basket ball team. Other dignitaries in town for the state event were Bill Parise, presi dent of the Pennsylvania Special Olympics and professional athlete and Jerry Olsavsky, Number 55 of the Pittsburgh Steelers National Football League team. “We feel we’re giving the far mers a good return on their money,” says Naugle. “We’re not overstaffed. We try to keep an efficient operation.” Marketing the organization includes the investment of some good billboard advertising in sev eral sizes and styles. There’s one large sign along the Pennsylvania Turnpike which Naugle says they are lucky to have gotten for rent Shopping mall promotions and county school visits are also in the plan. Dairy research and educa tion are also supported by the Allied Milk Producers’ Coopera tive, Inc. (otnesifiad tA/cies “I recruit help when needed,” says Naugle, who emanates a strong professionalism in her work. Her requests to dairy prom otion committees are always made formally, by attending their meet ings. Her promotional activities are organized down to fine details. On April 2, Allied Milk Produc ers’ Cooperative, Inc. will hold its annual dinner meeting in Johns town. Naugle says six dairy prin cesses will perform skits or give speeches. At her coronation, each prin cess received $3OO. If she has met 80 percent of her first level incen tive award requirements, she will, at this time, be given an additional $2OO from the Allied Milk Pro ducers’ Cooperative, Inc. Raspberry Milk Punch 1 quart vanilla ice cream 1 pint lemon-lime carbonated beverage 1 quart raspberry sherbet 1/4 quarts milk Combine softened ice cream, sherbet, and beverage. Chill. Just before serving, gradually add milk, beating just until mixture is smooth. Serves 25. Frosty Apple Drink 1 gallon cold milk 1 12-ounce can apple concentrate l'/i quarts of vanilla ice cream, softened cinnamon and nutmeg Add milk, apple concentrate, and ice cream in a large bowl. Beat until frothy. Pour into a chilled punch bowl. Add cinna mon and nutmeg to suit taste. Serves 25.
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