Dixon Resident Named Special Olympics Volunteer of Year

A northern Illinois woman has been honored in a big way for her work with Special Olympics.

Christine Scheffler of Dixon is the 2014 Special Olympics Illinois Outstanding Volunteer of the Year. She'll be honored at a reception June 13 before the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games Opening Ceremonies at Illinois State University in Normal.

Scheffler has been a Special Olympics volunteer for 21 years. She currently is employed as the Community Wellness Director at KSB Hospital in Dixon.

Scheffler began her career as a coach for Kreider Service, where she coached for four years. She coached athletics, bowling, basketball and volunteered at the Special Olympics Dinner Dance. She has served on the committee for the Pumpkin Walk and has volunteered for Spring Games, Bowling Tournament and the Polar Plunge. She has also been a member of the Kick Off The Holidays Celebration committee for 18 years. Her committee members have raised more than $600,000 for SOILL Northwestern/Area 1.

Special Olympics Illinois offers year-round training and competition in 19 sports for more than 21,300 athletes with intellectual disabilities and nearly 13,000 Young Athletes ages 2-7 with and without intellectual disabilities.  To find out more information visit their website.