Posted on February 5, 2015 by Matheny
Misty Hockenbury celebrates her gold medal win.
Matheny athletes brought home four gold medals and three silver medals from the Somerset County Special Olympics bowling tournament held Saturday, January 17, at Strike ’N Spare Lanes in Green Brook. The gold medal winners were: Jessica Evans, Misty Hockenbury, Lee Lubin and Yasin Reddick. Silver medals were won by Mike Cornely, Chris Saglimbene and Cindy Shanks.
The Somerset County Special Olympics provides year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with disabilities. Participation in Special Olympics is an important part of Matheny’s recreation therapy program, which provides a range of recreation choices to improve physical, emotional, cognitive and social well-being.
Posted on July 2, 2014 by Matheny
Shaleena, wearing her medals, celebrates with Matheny staff members. Clockwise, from left, recreation therapist Stephanie Reale, nurse Pearl Chiang, director of recreation therapy Sean Bielefeldt and social worker Kelly Haldaman.
Congratulations to Matheny adult resident Shaleena Tomassini, who won gold medals in the 400-meter and 200-meter wheelchair races at the USA Special Olympic Games held in Princeton, NJ! Tomassini, the first Matheny athlete to qualify for the national games, also won a silver medal in the shot put and 4th place in the 100-meter race.
“It really hit me during the opening ceremony that I had made the team,” she told her fellow residents and staff members at Matheny. “I started to cry. I knew that as long as I tried my hardest, that’s all that mattered. Now I want to go to the World Games.” The next Special Olympics World Summer Games will be held in July 2015 in Los Angeles.
Participation in Special Olympics is an important part of Matheny’s recreation therapy program, which provides a range of recreation choices to improve physical, emotional, cognitive and social well-being. Students, patients and community residents are encouraged to partake in several adaptive sports teams throughout the year, including track and field, adaptive karate and power wheelchair soccer.
Posted on June 13, 2014 by Matheny
Matheny Special Olympics athletes Shaleena Tomassini, left, Misty Hockenbury, center, and Amanda Kochell were greeted by Rutgers defensive linemen Darius Hamilton, left, and Julian Pinnix Odrick.
Matheny athletes won 14 gold medals at the New Jersey Special Olympics, held May 30–June 1 at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Shaleena Tomassini, who will also be competing in the Special Olympics USA Games, which begin tomorrow (June 14), won four of the gold medals: 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter and shot put.
Other Matheny gold medals were won by Lee Lubin, 30-meter slalom and 50-meter slalom; Yasin Reddick, 30-meter slalom and 50-meter slalom; Jamier Warren Treadwell, 25-meter dash and tennis ball throw; Misty Hockenbury, 30-meter slalom and 50-meter slalom; and Bari-Kim Goldrosen, deadlift and bench press.
Participation in Special Olympics is part of Matheny’s recreation therapy program, which provides our students and patients with a variety of recreational opportunities and resources to improve their physical, emotional, cognitive and social well-being.
Posted on October 9, 2013 by Matheny
Shaleena Tomassini at a recent Somerset County Special Olympics competition.
Matheny adult resident Shaleena Tomassini has been selected to represent Team New Jersey at the 2014 National Special Olympics. Shaleena, who will be participating in track & field, is the first athlete from Matheny to participate in the national games, which will be held in several locations in New Jersey in June 2014. Team members will be introduced at the Rutgers-Temple football game on November 2 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway. Congratulations, Shaleena!
Matheny patients and students participate in Special Olympics as part of Matheny’s recreation therapy program, which provides them with a variety of recreational opportunities and resources to improve their physical, emotional, cognitive and social well-being.
Posted on May 28, 2013 by Matheny
Matheny student Natalie Tomastyk and recreation therapist Saori Cheth.
More than 40 Matheny students, patients and group home residents competed in the Somerset County Special Olympics on May 4 at Bridgewater-Raritan High School in Bridgewater, NJ. The Matheny athletes received 40 gold medals and 28 silver medals, and Matheny will be sending eight athletes to the New Jersey State Special Olympics from June 7-9 at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ. They will be competing in track & field, bocce and power lifting.
Participation in Special Olympics is a key activity in Matheny’s Recreation Therapy program, which provides students and patients with a variety of recreation opportunities and resources to improve their physical, emotional, cognitive and social well-being. Students and patients are encouraged to take part in several adaptive sports teams throughout the year, including track & field, adaptive karate and power wheelchair soccer.
Matheny student Kimberly Alarcon, participating in a track & field event.
Posted on May 10, 2012 by Matheny
From left, Taty Manousakis, recreation therapist Amy Beatty, Jason Weiner and rec therapist Meghan Walsh.
Matheny adult patients Taty Manousakis and Jason Weiner brought home a bronze medal from the Special Olympics New Jersey 2012 Central Bocce Sectional Competition held April 28 in Lawrenceville, NJ. They competed in the 22 and older mixed division.
Next up for Taty and Jason: the Special Olympics Bocce Summer Games in June.
Good luck!
Jason concentrates on his next roll.
