DENVER–Westerra Credit Union said it is entering its 10th year sponsoring Special Olympics Colorado’s annual Polar Plunge Series.
Polar Plunge is a cold-weather fundraiser that provides critical funding for nearly 21,000 Special Olympics Colorado athletes. All funds raised from the Polar Plunge series support the sports, health, educational, and leadership programs so Special Olympic athletes can participate in them for free. “This is an enterprise event for Westerra Cares, Westerra’s award-winning community engagement program that supports community basics, financial literacy and education across Denver Metro communities,” the credit union said.
To recognize the milestone, Westerra has launched the initiative “$10K for 10 Athletes,” which contributes a total of $10,000 to 10 athletes who participate in Special Olympics’ transformative Athlete Leadership University (ALU) program.
“Our longstanding support of Special Olympics Colorado has become a cherished tradition at Westerra. It exemplifies our commitment to building a more inclusive and empowered community through the positive impact of unified sports,” said Kristina Shaw, VPO-corporate communications at Westerra Credit Union. “Our new initiative supports the ALU program as we applaud its focus on education, leadership training, and creating real-world experiences for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
The credit union noted ALU empowers Special Olympics athletes to drive meaningful societal change and is designed to enhance their lives by equipping them with valuable skills, knowledge, and leadership capabilities.
“One of the primary goals of the program is to significantly reduce the rates of underemployment for individuals with intellectual disabilities throughout Colorado,” it added.