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Emerita named outstanding Special Olympics volunteerJuly 24, 2008 KALAMAZOO--Dr. Linda Law, associate professor emerita of health, physical education and recreation at Western Michigan University, has been recognized by SOMI--Special Olympics Michigan--as the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year for Kalamazoo County. Each year, directors from SOMI's 36 local area programs recognize one volunteer who goes above and beyond to help athletes develop physically, emotionally and socially. The 2008 honorees were recognized during a May 28 event in Mount Pleasant, Mich. SOMI is supported entirely by private funding. With the help of some 20,000 volunteers around the state, the organization provides year-round training and athletic competition for more than 16,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Law, who has been involved with Special Olympics for 10 years, was cited for recruiting additional volunteers and successfully coordinating Area 16's 2008 Unified Bowling Program as well as volunteering in the same capacity next year. A WMU alumna, Law joined the University's faculty as an instructor in the Department of Women's Physical Education in 1975. She went on to coordinate the HPER department's recreation program and retired in 2007 after 31-1/2 years of service to the University. Law was active on campus throughout her career. She was named the Alumni "W" Club Woman of the Year in 2005, served three terms on the WMU Athletic Board and was a member of the Spikers Club since its inception. She also has been an active supporter of athletics and recreation at WMU and within the Kalamazoo Community. The Kalamazoo native earned a bachelor's and doctoral degree from WMU and a master's degree from the University of Northern Iowa. Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu WMU News |
