Ahead of Polar Plunge, Madison Special Olympics members say local group is 'a family'

MARSHALL - A popular fundraiser will return to Marshall later this month, as the Special Olympics of Madison County will host its annual Polar Plunge and Chili Cookoff on Blannahassett Island in Marshall.

The Mighty Madison Polar Plunge and Chili Cookoff will take place Feb. 25, and the minimum registration for all participants is $20. To earn a commemorative T-shirt, the minimum donation is $50. Participants may preregister online or by emailing madison@sonc.net.

On-site registration opens at 1:30 p.m. and activities will begin at 2 p.m.

Participants will have three options for their involvement in the fundraiser: the Freezin' for a Reason registration, in which the participant can plunge individually or in a group; the Too Chicken to Plunge, in which the participants are announced one by one and all dance together in a group to the Chicken Polka; and the Chili Chef registration, where participants each cook up a pot of chili for fellow participants to purchase tickets and select their favorites.

Participants are encouraged, but not required, to wear a costume.

Sharon Cupstid is Special Olympics of Madison County's local coordinator.

Cupstid has worked with Special Olympics for more than 40 years, including the last nine years in Madison County.

In keeping with the theme of fun with friends and family, each category winner will be awarded a prize.

"There's a golden plunger, which is literally a plunger that has been spray-painted in golden glitter, with a ribbon on it," Cupstid said. "The Chili Chef winners will receive a High Ridge BBQ gift certificate."

Special prizes will also be awarded to the participant who raised the most pledge donations, as well as the best costume, which will be judged by the Mighty Madison Special Olympics athletes.

Students from A-B Tech Madison's welding class crafted a prize to be auctioned off at the event as well, according to Cupstid, who works at A-B Tech.

The plunge will take place on the island stage, and the Marshall Fire Department will assist with the production.

The event serves as one of two major Special Olympics of Madison County fundraisers. The organization also operates a booth at the Bascom Lamar Lunsford festival annually.

Hearing from the athletes, coaches, families

Cupstid has been involved with Special Olympics for many years. She started volunteering with the program while growing up in South Florida, where her brother, Gary, was an athlete.

Gary, 59, has been a Special Olympics athlete for more than 45 years.

"I volunteer as a local coordinator, because about nine years ago, the program was through (Madison County Parks and Recreation," Cupstid said. "We were going to have about a year or so of rebuilding, but I said, 'This isn't going to work. I'm not going to let my brother (be overlooked).

"So, we talked with Special Olympics of North Carolina and said 'What do we have to do to have another local coordinator?'"

Though Cupstid's position is a volunteer role, it is accredited.

"All of our money is for Madison County - it doesn't support any other Special Olympics group," Cupstid said. "It's like a grassroots thing. The (accreditation) is there to support you and the rules and regulations, and coaching requirements, but you take care of your own group in terms of raising funds. Our funding is for equipment, travel to and from competitions, hotel and food when we're in Raleigh, or Charlotte."

When they're home, some of the athletes are among the most recognizable figures in the county.

Residents who were in attendance at the Lunsford Festival in 2022 may have seen a Madison County celebrity, Alex Brown, the man affectionately known throughout Madison and Buncombe counties as "Popcorn Boss." Brown, 29, of Weaverville, is one of the roughly 10 athletes currently involved with the Madison chapter of Special Olympics.

The News-Record caught up with Brown and some of the other athletes, as well as the coaches and families of the athletes at the group's basketball practice Jan. 31 at the Beech Glen Community Center.

Jan. 31 marked the last basketball practice of the year, but the athletes are engaged in something fun year-round.

"We do something year-round, with a little break between sports," Cupstid said. "For Summer Games, we decided we're going to do bowling, because it's indoors and it's in Raleigh, and Raleigh in the summer is not fun. Probably about mid-March, we'll start bowling practice at Sky Lanes (in West Asheville)."

Chris Dockery is a senior at Madison High and works at the Marshall Ingles.

Dockery was recognized as the WNC Special Olympic Athlete of the Year by the Mountain Amateur Athletic Conference in May 2022.

"It felt awesome," Dockery said, who was awarded $1,500 with the recognition.

Dockery plans to attend East Tennessee State University and study communications. Dockery also gave a speech at the annual MAAC Awards Ceremony, held in May 2022 at the Grove Park Inn.

"I talked about how my family supported me, my teammates supported me through the years," Dockery said. "I wouldn't be where I am without them. (Special Olympics of Madison County) means a lot to me. They show us support.

"(Basketball practices) every Tuesday, that's my jam," Dockery said.

That network of support and family runs deep in the Madison County Special Olympics circle.

James Jones, a resident of Mars Hill's Petersburg community, coaches basketball for the SOMC.

He said he got involved because of "the love of sports and being able to help out athletes in general."

"These special needs athletes are a treat," Jones said. "I've coached youth league football, high school football, wrestling. There's never been a thrill that I have (had more) since I've started messing with these athletes. They're awesome. We really enjoy it. We have lots of fun."

Mary Baclich has been involved with Special Olympics for more than 20 years, including a stint in Virginia, before she moved to Western North Carolina.

Baclich serves as Jones' support assistant.

"I love it. It means a lot, watching Alex and Chris and them out there, enjoying themselves," Baclich said. "You see life differently through their eyes."

Anna Jones is affectionately known among the group as the "Head of Delegations."

"For us, it's a family event - my husband, my daughter, my father-in-law," Jones said "Our brother-in-law, Timmy, has been involved with it since he was a child."

Anna Jones has been involved with SOMC for 13 years. According to Cupstid, she reached out to her around 2011 about the possibility of meeting more regularly.

Jones said she feels Special Olympics of Madison County has come a long way in that time.

"I think our athletes, they're excited about everything that we can throw at them" Jones said. "We're on a good path. We have a good group of parents that are supportive, and good fundraisers behind us. They're very inspiring."

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Madison Special Olympics to host Polar Plunge and Chili Cookoff Feb. 25