Honors & Awards

Shriver Family Award 

The Suzio Family
Honoring a family who, through volunteer and philanthropic support, has a made a significant impact on the organization.

The Suzio Family of the L. Suzio York Hill Company was honored for its' "spirit of humble service, unwavering dedication, and heartfelt support" of Special Olympics Connecticut.

For decades, the Suzio family members' support has been both generous and deeply personal. As a sponsor of our events, the family has donated close to $100,000. This is extraordinary; but what is more amazing is that their contributions far extend beyond their financial gifts.

Members of the Suzio family volunteer at our Statewide Games including our Unified Sports^® Fall Festival and selflessly offer their warmth, joy, and encouragement to our athletes to ensure all have meaningful, memorable experiences.

In all they do for Special Olympics, the Suzios are driven by love, legacy, and community. Motivated by care for their community and dedication to upholding the values that are the foundation of their company, members of the Suzio family - including brothers Ric and Len - have truly become highly regarded and immensely appreciated members of the SOCT family!

Lew Perkins Coach Award

George Hagipanagiotou
Honoring an individual coach who has made a significant impact in the lives of Special Olympics athletes through sports and fitness training.

George Hagipanagiotou is a coach with our Special Olympics Quinebaug Valley Local Program who has been training and encouraging athletes on his team for more than 26 years.

George got his start in Special Olympics as a one-on-one mentor and coach for a young man who played soccer in 1999. He proved to be an excellent instructor with a demeanor to match, and soon after became an assistant and head coach respectively. His contributions have been invaluable to his Local Program and in addition to coaching, he's helped organize Quinebaug Valley's summer celebrations and soccer invitationals - all while holding down two full-time jobs.

George always maintained the deepest gratitude for people who helped him along his journey and was determined to give back to others. He grew up playing soccer and now combines his love of the sport with his passion for helping others by staying involved in Special Olympics as a beloved and dedicated coach!

Community Leadership Award

Synchrony
Honoring a company or organization that has made a significant impact on our organization through financial and volunteer support.

Synchrony has been a steadfast and passionate supporter of Special Olympics Connecticut for nearly 11 years. Since 2015, Synchrony has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment through sponsorships, grants, fundraisers, and—most importantly—hands-on volunteerism. Over the course of this partnership, Synchrony has contributed more than $235,000 in support of SOCT programs and athletes.

What began with support of the Southern Time Trials swimming event has grown into a deep and impactful partnership that now includes the Summer Games soccer and swimming competitions, the Unified Sports^® Holiday Classic bowling competition, and the Athlete Leadership Program, for which Synchrony has served as Presenting Sponsor since 2020. Each year, more than 50 Synchrony employees volunteer their time at events, leadership trainings, and athlete engagement activities - both in-person and virtually.

Beyond formal programs, Synchrony employees consistently find meaningful ways to connect with our athletes, from trivia and bingo sessions throughout the year to hosting a summer walk/run fundraiser and a Cornhole Fun Day at their Stamford campus. And looking ahead, we are proud that Synchrony will sponsor Team Connecticut’s swim team as they compete in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.

This partnership extends far beyond financial support. Supporting Olympics Connecticut is embedded in Synchrony’s culture, and Synchrony has truly become a valued and trusted member of the SOCT family.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Award  

Nick Sinacori
Honoring an athlete who best exemplifies the spirit of Special Olympics above and beyond the requirements of a Spirit of Life winner.

Nick Sinacori truly shines as a phenomenal Special Olympics Connecticut athlete, coach, ambassador, leader, and friend who is greatly admired by his peers and everyone he encounters through Special Olympics, Beanz & Co where he works, and everywhere he goes!

Nick first got involved in Special Olympics at Simsbury High School, where he participated in Unified Sports^®. Today, he is a strong, dedicated swimmer in the summer season, and an inspiring and supportive assistant coach during the winter season for his Special Olympics Simsbury snowshoeing team.

Nick enthusiastically shares his moving Special Olympics story and the mission and message of Special Olympics with others, and has been a keynote speaker for our Law Enforcement Torch Run^® Kick-off event and Annual Awards Dinner. He is a long-time Global Messenger and member of the Law Enforcement Torch Run^® for Special Olympics Connecticut Leadership Council. In 2024, while attending the Law Enforcement Torch Run^® International Conference in San Antonio, Texas, Nick was honored with the highly prestigious LETR International Council Athlete of the Year Award.

Eunice Murtha Award 

Valerie Jensen
Honoring an individual or family who, through philanthropic means, has made a significant impact on the organization.

Valerie Jensen supports Special Olympics Connecticut in so many meaningful ways! She hosted Special Olympics events at the sparkling, spectacular Prospector Theater, participated in Penguin Plunges over the years, invited our athletes to join veterans in participating in Unified fishing tournaments at her Gemstone Farm, and has made life-changing donations to support Special Olympics Slovakia’s Dream Day Center for Ukrainian refugee families with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities fleeing the war.

Valerie is also a national leader in inclusive employment. Through her visionary work at the Prospector Theater, Gemstone Farm, and most recently the Prospector Popcorn production facility, she has created opportunities, dignity, and purpose for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities - proving every day that inclusion makes workplaces stronger and communities better.

Outstanding Local Program Award

Special Olympics New London Wildcats
Honoring the Local Program that exemplifies the true meaning of Special Olympics.

The New London Wildcats are great sports who play Unified volleyball and softball. Two teams comprised of 23 athletes and Unified partners play Unified volleyball, and two teams made up of 50 athletes and Unified partners participate in Unified and traditional softball. Individual athletes also participate in softball skills training and competition.

Pete Wagner started the Wildcats team in 1986 and dutifully serves as its Local Program Coordinator and coach. However, this wasn't his first experience with Special Olympics - he began volunteering with his mom Carol Evans at age seven, more than 45 years ago. In addition to Pete's phenomenal leadership, the program is strengthened by the involvement of beloved softball and volleyball coach Vinny Dimella. It's also strengthened by the friendships the teammates share.

The Wildcats are proud to be sending six members to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota to compete in Unified softball. Pete will also be attending as a Unified softball coach - marking his 4^th trip to a Special Olympics USA Games as a coach.

Not only do the Wildcats enjoy playing sports together, they also meet up for many social activities. These include ballgames, cornhole tournaments, picnics, fundraisers that benefit the program, Penguin Plunges, and a favorite seasonal event - the Wildcats annual Christmas Party which draws more than 100 guests annually. 

The success of the Wildcats Local Program and the fun members have inspires others to want to get involved. To accommodate this growing interest, the program plans to add additional volleyball and softball teams, and perhaps offer a new sport!

Sheila Schmidt Award

Seargent Nicole Mordasiewicz
Honoring a volunteer who, through unselfish efforts, has made a significant impact on the organization.

Sgt. Nikki Mordasiewicz of the Hartford Police Department and Hartford PAL Program got involved in Special Olympics playing Unified Sports^® at Wethersfield High School and volunteering at Tip-A-Cop fundraisers as a member of the Wethersfield Police Department’s Cadet Program.

Sgt. Mordasiewicz joined the Hartford Police Department in 2008 and that same year stepped up to take on the role of Torch Run Town Captain, a position she still holds today. She has also been a member of the Connecticut Law Enforcement Torch Run^® Leadership Council for over 10 years and presently serves as its Co-Director. Sgt. Mordasiewicz also supports Penguin Plunges and has participated in the Super Plunge - plunging every hour for 24 consecutive hours - an incredible five times.

Additionally, she knows and loves sports and has volunteered with the Special Olympics Wethersfield Local Program since 2008. More recently, she started the Special Olympics Hartford PAL program and coaches floorball, soccer, and basketball for her team.

Susan Saint James Leadership Award 

Tizziana Fusco Weber
Honoring an individual or family whose leadership skills have brought about positive changes to the organization.

Norman Hanenbaum Lifetime Service Award 

Joe and Nancy Dennin
Honoring an individual or group for extraordinary dedication to supporting Special Olympics Connecticut and making a significant and indelible impact on the movement.

Joe and Nancy Dennin, a dynamic husband and wife duo, got their start with Special Olympics as Summer Games spectators "some 40 years ago" - cheering on athletes competing in track & field. When their son, David, got the opportunity to compete in golf during the Special Olympics World Games in New Haven in 1995, they were so impressed by what they saw and experienced, they knew they had to get more deeply involved. They subsequently began assisting with what was Special Olympics Connecticut's fledgling golf program at the time. This led to them taking on one of their most significant roles with Special Olympics - serving as Co-Local Coordinators for our Special Olympics Trumbull program, which they're done for more than 15 years and counting.

Joe and Nancy Dennin are known for overseeing a great big team that's like a family. And they know a lot about family - in fact, they've gotten all four of their children and their seven grandchildren who live on the East Coast volunteering for Special Olympics as Unified partners, volunteers, and event organizers with them. Each and every one of their family members is as dedicated, passionate, and dutiful as Nancy and Joe are in executing whatever task they're asked to take on - from running the skills competition at our Unified Sports^® Fall Festival golf event to organizing the powerlifting competition during our annual Unified Sports^® Holiday Classic. 

Not only are Joe and Nancy leaders of their Local Program - they've also served, each during different terms, as members of the Special Olympics Connecticut Board of Directors. As Board Members, they've guided the organizations growth, developed and supported its strategies, and contributed to its continued financial and operational success.

Nancy and Joe have also brought a delegation representing Connecticut to play in the Special Olympics North America Golf Tournament every year, and they and their family members have served as Head of Delegation, Head Coach, and caddies for the event.

The Dennins also prioritize fundraising for their team and our organization overall. For more than 10 years, they've been pulling together a team to participate in the Penguin Plunge that not only includes their athletes, partners, and volunteers - but also high school students from New Canaan and St. Joseph High Schools, where Nancy taught. Additionally, they organized and ran an awesome golf tournament and barbecue fundraiser for 12 years at the Tashua Knolls Golf Course in their community that raised thousands of dollars.

Spirit of Life Awards for Exceptional Athletes

Sophia Diaz, Margo Meley, Remi Pagan
Honoring athletes who exemplify the true meaning of Special Olympics. Created in 1982 in tribute to our athletes and their accomplishments, both on the field and in life.

Spirit of Inclusion Awards for Exceptional Schools

Highland Elementary School, Jockey Hollow Middle School, Norwich Free Academy
Created in 2023 to recognize schools that offer multiple seasons of Special Olympics Unified Sports®, inclusive youth leadership, and whole school engagement.

Unsung Hero Awards for Exceptional Volunteers

Tammy Allison, Brad Guilani, Joe Harrington, Jamie Marotto, Lauren Maston (posthumously), Jameson Mayr, Jessica Preston
Honoring volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes for Special Olympics Connecticut with no expectation of recognition or reward.