At Special Olympics Pennsylvania, volunteers make it possible for athletes to train, compete, and build meaningful connections. This month, we’re proud to recognize Alex Holder as our Volunteer of the Month for his passion for growing the volunteer community and supporting athletes.
Alex first connected with Special Olympics after attending a local Unified-style event near Pittsburgh. What started as a single volunteer opportunity quickly turned into an ongoing commitment.
“Once you attend one event, you realize the impact you can have,” Alex said. “You see how important volunteers are in supporting the athletes.”
One of the things Alex enjoys most is introducing others to Special Olympics. Through his professional and personal networks, he encourages colleagues, friends, and family to volunteer and experience the organization firsthand.
“For some people, it just takes someone asking them to show up,” he said. “Once they do, they see how meaningful it is and want to come back.”
One of Alex’s favorite experiences involved helping organize a series of basketball practices where athletes and volunteers trained together over several weeks. The opportunity to build relationships made the experience especially rewarding.
“The parents of one athlete told me it was their child’s favorite part of the week,” Alex shared. “Then a volunteer told me the same thing…that it was the highlight of their week too. Moments like that really show how powerful these programs are.”
Outside of Special Olympics, Alex is passionate about the outdoors and community engagement, and he looks forward to continuing to bring new volunteers into the movement.
Thank you, Alex, for your dedication to supporting athletes and helping grow the Special Olympics community.
