How You Can Help: Special Olympics Michigan Area 8 Needs Donations After Theft

• The Special Olympics Michigan Area 8 trailer was stolen in early May and was last seen at the Beekman Center.
• Area 8 took to Facebook to share a donation link in order to buy all they have lost.
• Ferguson Plumbing and Jenks Plumbing have already donated supplies to rebuild Bocce courts.

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)

I'm your Mason neighborhood news reporter Sarah Poulos. The Special Olympics has a major footprint in our neighborhoods, but after a trailer was recently stolen, they're asking those same neighbors for some much-needed help.

"It's frustrating that someone feels they can steal from a nonprofit."

Feelings after the Special Olympics Michigan in Ingham and Eaton County Area 8's trailer was taken from the Beekman Center in Lansing.

"That trailer contained a number of things that were integral to facilitating a number of athletic events for Special Olympics, specific to Area 8."

I spoke with Val Suszko of Area 8, who tells me they're now seeking neighbors' help.

"We need wooden yardsticks, we need clipboards, the cones, nice tall cones."

Since the crime, Area 8 has started a donation link to help bring back roughly $18,000 that was taken.

Darin Southworth, the Chief Deputy of Ingham County, has coached Special Olympics sports and has coordinated fundraising for Area 8. He told me that they will find a way to recoup all that was lost.

"I mean in the short term we already did. We had some amazing sponsors come help very quickly."

Ferguson Plumbing and Jenks Plumbing have already donated materials for bocce courts, which were part of the items that were stolen.

"Believe me, we are going to go on. We're going to get us a new trailer, we are going to get us the contents that go in it, and if there are some kind people along the way that are going to get us there quicker, we certainly welcome that."

Anyone who has seen the stolen trailer is being asked to call Lansing police. I've attached the donation link on our website at fox47news.com. In Ingham County, I'm Sarah Poulos, Fox 47 News.

https://www.classy.org/give/588306/#!/donation/checkout

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