Written by Kelli Tobin (Colin’s mother)
My name is Kelli Tobin and I am a middle school educator, Special Olympics coach, Unified Club advisor, and wife (to a husband who also happens to work for SONJ) but my most favorite title of all of these is mom to my 3 children – Colin, Kailey, and Cody. Our son Colin is a Special Olympics New Jersey athlete who competes in soccer, basketball, and track and field and has recently been participating with the Unified program at Brick Memorial High School.
Just recently while preparing my thoughts for all of you, I had a very unique experience that brought me full circle to me standing here today. I was with both of my boys at the RWJBarnabas Health Field of Dreams for Colin’s baseball league when I found my youngest Cody on the playground with a young boy with Down Syndrome named Ben, pushing him on the swing. I felt so overwhelmed with gratitude that my life, along with those of my children, has been fulfilled because of having Colin and being involved in Special Olympics New Jersey.
To think, this part of our story began, standing on the beach 7 months pregnant with Colin, in Seaside Heights, NJ on February 25, 2009!
Our close friend, Zach Gallagher, was participating in the Special Olympics NJ Polar bear plunge with coworkers and I thought it would be fun to watch him jump in the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of the winter. In fact, I can vividly picture myself standing on the beach surrounded by people and saying to Zach, “I cannot believe you would actually do this, you must be crazy.”
When Colin was born two months later, his diagnosis of Down Syndrome was not something Chris and I were prepared for. Our experiences with people with intellectual disabilities were very limited, and coupled with the bleak list of things given to us in the hospital that Colin would supposedly not be able to do, we felt overwhelmed. If there is one thing I can describe about Chris and me though, it’s the fact we have always been a team and we knew that day we were going to do our best TOGETHER for Colin.
Other members of our team immediately started to support us and figure out in their own ways what we needed. While we were still in the hospital with Colin, Zach’s wife Jorie knew that participating in the Polar Bear Plunge would be a positive and exciting way to bring us all together in support of him. From that day in the hospital when Colin was just days old, our polar bear plunge team, CAT Crew was born.
CAT Crew’s very 1st polar bear plunge was filled with family and friends and acquaintances who were there to support us and helped us to raise over $34,000; it was such an amazing day for all of us and the feelings from that day are quite hard to compare to anything else. This year, we completed our 15th plunge as a team. To date, we have raised over $625,000 in support of the athletes of SONJ.
Quite literally, being a part of CAT Crew “plunged” us into our involvement when we were invited to the SONJ complex shortly after that event to meet then-CEO Mark Edenzon and his wife Kathy. After learning about the Young Athletes program, Chris and I were excited about Colin’s future participating in Special Olympics. We quickly learned how important the money raised through all of these events is to be able to offer opportunities FREE of CHARGE.
Colin’s journey began as a Young Athlete when he was 2 and not quite walking yet. From the very first fall festival where he scooted around through the different activities to the first Summer Games where Colin ran to the finish line and received his medal from a member of Law Enforcement, to this past summer when he competed in summer games for the 11th time, we have been given this opportunity to watch him shine as an athlete.
When you have an opportunity to reflect upon specific experiences in life, like I have had this week in preparation for tonight, it’s amazing to see how one event like the Polar Bear Plunge can create such a domino effect in all directions. I very much believe that my friend’s involvement in the plunge in 2009 was an intentional placement for me on that beach that has led me to where I am today.
Our family has made very special lifelong connections and friends with athletes, partners, coaches, members of the law enforcement community, SONJ staff, volunteers, and those who continue to support SONJ in other ways. Many opportunities have been provided to Colin because of your fundraising efforts.
Family members and friends have been inspired to become volunteers and coaches. We are now raising the next generation of Unified partners and coaches, who can’t wait to also be able to say that they are involved in Special Olympics too. My husband’s career path led him to SONJ. I am growing a Unified program in my district, and our children are learning what it means to be truly supportive, patient, empathetic, and caring Individuals – and this generation’s advocates, coaches and supporters of everyone’s abilities.
We are just one Special Olympics family full of stories, an example of the effect your efforts make in your communities. Thank you for your part in joining us on this journey so ALL of our athletes and families can have the opportunity to shine.
Donate Colin and CAT Crew Polar Bear Plunge at Seaside Heights