On May 13 three people from the Brunswick County program received recognition at an awards banquet held at Texas Roadhouse in Wilmington. It all began when local coordinator, Anita Dwyer, submitted Tom Connolly, Special Olympics coach, for Coach of the Year, and John Singleton for Athlete of the Year. Applications are turned into area directors (the state is divided into six areas). Applicants are then chosen in different categories. In the Cape Fear Area, there are seventeen programs, and Connolly and Singleton were chosen as winners. The area director, Jonathan Embler of Wilmington, submits one of the coordinators for recognition as Coordinator of the Year, and Dwyer received the award for the 2006 year. The three winners will compete for state level recognition, and winners will be announced in August. Connolly has been a coach with the county for over 2 years and also serves on the local committee to help the coordinator make fund raising decisions. Singleton has been an athlete in the county for 7 years and attends the Brunswick Interagency Program. He participates in softball and bowling. Dwyer has been the local coordinator for 4 years in Brunswick County but has been a part of/volunteered with Special Olympics since the age of 10. Hats off to our local winners!