Tag: special olympics

Amanda Church Special Olympics World Games Training Update (April 2015)

Posted on by olympiamoving

Amanda Church_Olympia MovingOlympia Moving’s sponsored athlete, Amanda Church, is training hard for the upcoming Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. She was kind enough to send us an update on her progress. You’re crushing it, Amanda! We’re so proud of you and your training achievements!

Amanda’s Training Update: April 12th

Current Event Times:

Event Current Time
100 Breaststroke 2:04.00
100 Freestyle 2:29.00
200 Breaststroke 4:32.00

“Today I went to the YMCA in Easton to get some training in. I have set goal times for each of my events:”

  • 100 Breast Stroke goal time: 2:00.00
  • 100 Freestyle goal time: 2:20.00
  • 200 Breast Stroke goal time: 4:20.00

“Besides getting ready for Summer Games and World Games, The Life Program is having family week coming up the first weekend in May. I am going to be giving a speech about both of my experiences at life and Special Olympics.”

Amanda’s Training Update: April 30th

Current Event Times:

Event Current Time
100 Breaststroke 2:06.00
100 Freestyle 2:19.00
200 Breaststroke 4:29.00

“Today was my Swim Qualifier at Bridgewater State University. I competed in 3 out of my 4 events.  I even beat my goal time in the 100 Meter Freestyle . My goal was 2:20.00 and I did it with a time of 2:19.00.  I also competed in the 200 Breaststroke and the 100 Breaststroke.  I got a Gold Medal in both my 200 and 100 Meter Breaststroke, and a Silver in my 100 Meter Freestyle. I am ready to keep training for State Games in June, and World Games.”

“Another exciting thing that is coming up in my life is my brother Jared is getting married in October in California. I am very much excited to have another soon to be sister in law.”

Way to go, Amanda, on your medals and wins!  Read more about our sponsorship of Amanda.  

Sponsor of Special Olympics World Games Athlete Amanda Church

Posted on by olympiamoving

IMG_0965Olympia Moving & Storage is proud to announce their sponsorship of Special Olympics World Games athlete Amanda Church. Special Olympics World Games, which will take place in Los Angeles beginning July 25th, will be the largest sporting event in the world in 2015. Amanda will be one of 7,000 athletes from 177 countries competing in the Games, and one of only 7 athletes representing Massachusetts. She will be representing team USA in two aquatics events: breaststroke & freestyle.

The Boston moving company’s sponsorship of $5,000 will help cover Amanda’s training and travel expenses. As part of the sponsorship, the company will be cheering Amanda on at her competitions leading up to the games, and reporting on her training progress on olympiamoving.com and Olympia’s Facebook page.

Olympia Moving & Storage has been the official logistics sponsor of Special Olympics Massachusetts since 2013. Last year, the company’s fundraising and donated logistics services for Special Olympics competitions exceeded $50,000. While planning for the company’s 2015 sponsorship, Olympia Moving inquired if there was any way they could assist with the upcoming World Games.

Olympia Moving President Michael Gilmartin presenting Amanda Church with her sponsorship check
Olympia Moving President Michael Gilmartin presenting Amanda Church with her sponsorship check

The Boston moving company was immediately impressed by Amanda’s accomplishments. She has won many gold medals since she began competing with Special Olympics in 1998 and was inducted into the Special Olympics Massachusetts Hall of Fame in 2012. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Amanda lives independently with the LIFE program and has held jobs as a receptionist and Special Olympics intern.

This is a dream come true for me as I’ve wanted to compete in World Games for a long time. With the help of my coaches I know I will be ready to swim for the gold this summer,” says Amanda Church. “Special Olympics Massachusetts is honored to have sponsors like Olympia Moving.”

Be sure to watch this blog for updates on Amanda’s training as she prepares for the Games!

You can learn more about Olympia Moving & Storage’s work with Special Olympics at http://www.olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

Click here to read the official press release

Holiday Giving: Olympia Moving & Storage Donates to Toy Drive, Food Drive & 5K

Posted on by olympiamoving

Happy holidays from Olympia Moving & Storage! December is the season of giving, and Olympia Moving & Storage is continuing their tradition of giving back to the communities in which we live & work. This month we had several opportunities to participate in great events and causes.

Home for Little Wanderer’s Big Wishes Gift Drive with Coldwell Banker

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sponsored this gift drive to benefit children being served by the Home for Little Wanderers. CBRB offered their offices as drop-off locations for the drive. Olympia donated the trucks and labor to transport all the donations from CBRB offices across the state to The Home’s toy room. The crew, Nandor, Josh, and Glenn, even got in the spirit by wearing Santa’s elf hats to the delivery! Check out pictures from the delivery event below:

Jolly Jaunt 5K to Benefit Special Olympics Massachusetts

Boston Jolly JauntThe Jolly Jaunt 5K was just one of the many Special Olympics events we donate logistics assistance to. This is Olympia’s second year sponsoring the holiday-themed 5K around the Boston Common. The event raised almost $140,000 for athletes with intellectual disabilities!

Lauren, Manager of Strategic Development Initiatives at Special Olympics Massachusetts, had this to say about our donated assistance:

“Thank you so much for all of your help over this past few months! Everything went so well on Saturday, and it was greatly due to all of your and Olympia’s help. If you speak with Ben who was on site with us with the truck and helped us unload today, can you thank him for me on behalf of Special Olympics MA as a whole. Not only was he always willing to jump in and help, but he was beyond professional!”

St. Irene’s Parish Food Drive for the Greater Merrimack Velley Food Bank

Olympia Moving Food DriveFor many years, Clark & Reid (Olympia’s executive relocation brand) has been donating boxes for St. Irene’s Parish’s food drive in Carlisle, MA.

This year, the Parish secured a pound for pound food match with Walmart. As a result, St. Irene’s received 2 tons of food this Thanksgiving, the most donations ever. As a result, Olympia/Clark & Reid donated 160 boxes to the drive, 60% more boxes versus previous years.

Congrats to St. Irene’s Parish for a successful food drive, which will benefit the Greater Merrimack Valley Food Bank.

Read more about Olympia’s recent community & charity involvement:
Olympia bring Moving Truck to Touch-a-Truck Newton
Olympia Moving Pulls a Plane for Special Olympics Virginia
Olympia Moving at Special Olympics MA Summer Games

Decluttering for your Washington DC Move: Furniture Donation Pickup in Washington DC

Posted on by olympiamoving

Furniture Donation PickupIf you are trying to declutter your home prior to a Washington, DC move, consider donating your old furniture instead of selling or trashing it. Not only is it better for the environment, but it is a chance to do some good. Donating furniture is easy with our list of organizations that offer furniture donation pickup in Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland.

There are plenty of good reasons to donate furniture prior to your move, including:

  • Saving money: the less items you have to move, the more inexpensive your move will be
  • Streamline the move: some of your furniture may not fit through the doorways or stairways of your new home, get rid of those items before move day to reduce stress
  • Redecorating: a new home is the perfect opportunity to get rid of the old to make way for a new home decor aesthetic
  • Simplifying: some studies show that less stuff equals greater happiness

These Washington DC area organizations make it easy with furniture donation pickup. If you live in the greater Boston area, don’t miss our list of organizations that will pickup furniture donations in Boston.

Charity-Net in support of Special Olympics Virginia

As proud supporters of Special Olympics Virginia, we recommend using Charity-Net to schedule a pickup of your gently used clothes, housewares, media, and furniture. Your items will go to Savers and Value Village Thrift Stores, and a portion of their sales will support the athletic programs and competitions for athletes with intellectual disabilities. You can book your pickup online. Just enter your zip code, and you’ll be presented with a list of possible pickup dates.

A Wider Circle

This non-profit provides basic need items, education, and long-term support for those in need. They accept furniture, linens, baby items, and professional attire. All your donations will be used by someone in need within days! Fill out this form to schedule a pick up or you can drop off at their office in Silver Spring.

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

Habitat for Humanity builds homes for people in need. Your donations got to their ReStores which raise money for the organization. They are in need of furniture, housewares, appliances, building supplies, and more. Fill out this online form to schedule a weekday pickup from your curb, driveway, or garage. You can also drop items at their Alexandria or Chantilly store Monday – Saturday.

Alive! (ALexandrians InVolved Ecumenically)

This non-profit is a collaboration of religious congregations in Alexandria, VA to provide a safety net for the needy in Alexandria. If you live in Alexandria, they will send a volunteer to pick up your furniture on Saturday mornings. Call 703-837-9300 x3 to schedule the pickup. Alive! also accepts housewares.

Support Our Veterans

This organization sells your donations and uses the funds for programs for veterans. Use their online form to schedule a pickup of your furniture, housewares, clothes, and more. Then just leave your items on your porch by 8 AM on your schedule pickup day.

Still have leftover furniture? You can also check out this furniture disposal directory from Wayfair.

For more packing tips, be sure to check out:
9 Essential Items You Shouldn’t Bring on Your Move
How to Pack Video Series
Selling Unwanted Items Before Moving

Olympia Moving Pulls a Plane for Special Olympics Virginia

Posted on by olympiamoving

The Olympia Moving & Storage Plane Pull Team
The Olympia Moving & Storage Plane Pull Team
On Saturday the Olympia Moving & Storage Virginia branch came together for a great purpose: to pull a plane to support Special Olympics Virginia.

Team Olympia pulled a 164K lbs airplane to raise money for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Their pull time clocked in at 7.01 seconds.

Olympia Moving & Storage is an official sponsor of the Dulles Day Plane Pull. We provided free logistics support for the event including receiving and delivery services for supplies and event set-up and break down.

Says Ellen Head, Director of Development for Special Olympics Virginia: “Thank you! The guys are GREAT! Victor and Adrian are the absolute best. We are packed and event READY!”

Olympia also exhibited at the event, which saw 30,000 attendees and participation from 70 teams. It was a great day to raise money and bring awareness to the wonderful programs Special Olympics provides for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families.

Special thanks to the following who contributed to our fundraising campaign:

Union Street Media
Shelle Design
Ian M.

Check out the pictures and video from the event below! We can’t wait to beat our pull time in 2015!

In 2013, Olympia Moving contributed over $45,000 in monetary and in-kind donations for Special Olympics. Through our work with this organization, we’re inspired by athletes with intellectual disabilities, and see how competing in sports give these athletes confidence, determination, power, and joy. You can learn more about Olympia’s sponsorship of Special Olympics at www.olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

The Olympia Crew is In It to Win for Special Olympics – Plane Pull 2014!

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Plane Pull 2014They carry sofas and pianos all day long, but on September 20th the Olympia Moving & Storage crew will prove that they’re the strongest around – and raise money for a terrific cause.

The Olympia Moving Crew will pull a 164K pound airplane to raise money for Special Olympics Virginia!

Olympia placed 9th out of 66 teams last year. This year, we are in it to win it! Check out the video of our 2013 Plane Pull

We would greatly appreciate your help raising money to provide programs for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO SPECIAL OLYMPICS VIRGINIA

  • Olympia Moving has already kicked off the fundraising by donating $500.
  • We will publicly thank each contributor on both Olympia’s website and Facebook page.
  • If the Olympia crew pulls the plane the fastest and places 1st, Olympia will 1-to-1 match all other contributions made on the Olympia plane pull donation page.

Plane Pull is also a great family event; and includes car shows, aircraft displays and a kids zone. Come see Team Olympia pull the plane: Saturday, September 20th, 11 AM – 4 PM, Dulles Airport. In addition to our fundraising, we are also donating logistics support for the event and exhibiting one of our trucks.

In 2013, Olympia Moving contributed over $45,000 in monetary and in-kind donations for Special Olympics. Through our work with this organization, we’re inspired by athletes with intellectual disabilities, and see how competing in sports give these athletes confidence, determination, power, and joy. You can learn more about Olympia’s sponsorship of Special Olympics at www.olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

Every donation helps! Thank you for your support of Special Olympics Virginia!

Olympia Moving at Special Olympics MA Summer Games

Posted on by olympiamoving

It was an exciting weekend for athletes around the state as team Olympia pitched in to help with the Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games logistics. Our team, comprised of volunteers from the office and our crew, were kept busy performing free services for Special Olympics. Even company president, Michael Gilmartin, and VP of sales, Piet Gauchat, gave up their weekends to run the on-call logistics truck for the event. Olympia helped with every facet of the event’s logistics, including:

  • 12 pick-ups and drop-offs of food and equipment
  • Athlete move-in to their dorms
  • Event logistics assistance & equipment transportation
  • Event break-down
  • Athlete move-out and luggage distribution

Matt Ruxton, Vice President of Sports for Special Olympics Massachusetts, said: “I wanted to say thank you for all that you did to make this past weekend such a success. It truly was a great weekend and we could not do it without your help. You guys are the ones who make the event possible and all the success is due to your hard work. ”

One of the local program directs said: “This was the most efficient / well run weekend during my 7 yrs. The check-in, buses, staging, awards, etc. all went well. overall a great weekend. Great job!”

Here are some pictures from the event. You can see more pictures in our Facebook album.

Read our official press release about our involvement.

We can’t wait to continue to help out Special Olympics Massachusetts the rest of the years as their official logistics sponsor! Learn more about this partnership at olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

Olympia Moving & Storage Donates Logistics Services to the Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games

Posted on by olympiamoving

Olympia Moving Sponsors Special Olympics Summer GamesRead the Press Release on the Boston Globe website

Press Release:
Olympia Moving & Storage Donates Logistics Services to the Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games
As part of their year-round sponsorship, Olympia Moving & Storage, a moving company in Watertown MA, is the official logistics sponsor of the annual event for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Watertown, MA June 2, 2014

Olympia Moving & Storage, a premier Boston area relocation company, will be the official logistics sponsor of the Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games. This is the second year Olympia will be donating their services free of charge to the non-profit organization.

Summer Games is taking place the weekend of June 6 – 8, 2014 at the Harvard University Athletic Complex and at Boston University. Over 1,900 athletes with intellectual disabilities from around the state will be competing in 6 sports, including track and field and aquatics. As one of Special Olympics Massachusetts’s largest events, Summer Games showcases the abilities of these athletes and encourages healthier lives in their communities.

Olympia Moving will be doing the heavy lifting of transferring the equipment needed for the weekend’s sports and social events, as well as the much-anticipated Opening Ceremony at Boston University.

Employees from Olympia Moving are volunteering their time to welcome the arriving athletes to the games and move them into their dorms at Boston University. The relocation company will also assist with closing the event.

“The Special Olympics Massachusetts team has been great to work with over the past year,” says Michael Gilmartin, President of Olympia Moving & Storage. “It’s been especially valuable to see our Olympia Moving team work directly with these athletes and be inspired by their joy and determination.”

Mary Beth McMahon, President of Special Olympics Massachusetts, is looking forward to Olympia’s continued support of the Summer Games. “We rely so heavily on volunteers in every aspect and the work Olympia did helping our coaches with the move in and move out and helping our Games Management Team work more efficiently and effectively with logistics is really priceless.”

Olympia’s support of Summer Games is part of their year-round sponsorship of Special Olympics Massachusetts. The moving company is entering their second year of this partnership. Last year, Olympia Moving & Storage contributed almost $50,000 in monetary and in-kind donations to Special Olympics. To learn more about Olympia’s sponsorship, visit http://www.olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

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Contact:
Olympia Moving & Storage
Rachael Fischer, Marketing Manager
617-231-1290
rfischer@olympiamoving.com
www.olympiamoving.com

About Olympia Moving & Storage:
Olympia Moving & Storage is a full-service moving company in Boston, Massachusetts and Washington, DC. Since its inception in 1993, Olympia has built an unparalleled reputation for delivering exceptional local moving, interstate moving and international moving services. In addition to residential moves, Olympia offers specialized services for companies preparing for an office move. Olympia Moving is the preferred mover for numerous universities, law firms and real estate organizations. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our 85% customer referral rate and our numerous awards. For more information, visit http://www.olympiamoving.com or call 800-222-4744.

Sponsor of Annadale Bed Race to Benefit Special Olympics VA

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Special Olympics Bed Race
Our crew with the cardboard truck they created for the race!

Annadale, VA residents on John Marr Drive Saturday morning were treated to a strange sight: teams of people decorating hospital beds to look like vehicles and racing them down the street! It was all part of the Annadale Bed Race, a kooky fundraiser to benefit Special Olympics VA.

Team Olympia got into the spirit by re-creating a cardboard version of our famous black trucks. Competitive as always, our crew won their first heat and won second place overall in the race! Check out this video of the Olympia crew racing to the finish line!

Our "racing truck" being built in our warehouse
Our “racing truck” being built in our warehouse

As the logistics sponsor for the event, Olympia Moving & Storage transported thehospital beds needed for the event free of charge. The event raised thousands of dollars to provide year-round sports training and competitions for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Did you know that Olympia Moving & Storage is providing free logistics support for 10+ Special Olympics events this year? We’re currently busy planning the logistics for the upcoming Special Olympics MA Summer Games at Harvard & Boston University. Learn more about our sponsortship of Special Olympics at olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

$45,000 Contributed to Special Olympics in 2013

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photo (46)In 2013, Olympia Moving & Storage was proud to launch our partnership with Special Olympics Massachusetts & Virginia. We’re pleased to announce that our first year contributing to this fantastic organization was a major success!

Our 2013 contribution to Special Olympics by the numbers:

  • Volunteered for 10 events, including Summer Games, Jolly Jaunt, and Plane Pull
  • Our crew pulled a 164,000 pound plane in support of Special Olympics VA.
  • Olympia’s president, Michael, rappelled down a 22 story hotel in support of Special Olympics MA.
  • Donated free moving and logistics services valuing $39,432.50
  • Raised $6,865 in monetary donations to support the athletic program
  • Over $500 contributed to Special Olympics through our clients
  • Total value of our contribution was over $45,000 in 2013!

We would like to thank the staff at Special Olympics MA & Special Olympics VA for being fantastic partners and for working tirelessly for their athletes. The determination and joy of Special Olympics athletes is contagious, and so inspiring to our team.

Olympia Moving & Storage will be continuing to grow the Special Olympics relationship in 2014. In addition to providing logistics support to more events and competitions than ever before, we have a few new events and surprises in store. We’re looking forward to supporting even more athletes in the new year!

You can learn more about our relationship with Special Olympics and donate to this worthy cause at olympiamoving.com/specialolympics.