My name is Stephen Palmeri, Jr. I was honored to be the first student on Grand Island High Schools first Polar Plunge team in 2019. Our team was small but our passion and teamwork to raise funds was GRAND.

I was taught to seize every moment. Do something new and something that makes others feel good.

I was invited to a Unified Basketball game by my friend Justin to see him play. After seeing that one game and saw what it was all about ... I was hooked. The energy was infectious and I wanted to be a part of it. I was honored to be inducted to the team at last home game that year and played in the Playoff games of 2018 and continued to play in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Being on the team helped me break out of a shell that I didn't even know I had. The practices, games, the bus rides, celebration parties, award ceremonies and hanging out without everyone was something everyone looked forward to. It felt like a big family.

By my Senior year in 2020, our unified sports program got a little bigger when we added Unified Bowling to our program.

Im honored to be on the team to help raise funds to keep the Unified Sports program going and growing in our local public schools. This program gives growth to EVERYONE; to every single person who is a part of it no matter if you're on the team or in the crowds cheering.

Grand Island High School, Unified Sports and the NY Special Olympics will always have a special place in my heart and my goal is to kick-start other hearts to help me to reach my fundraising goal as I take the plunge into the frigid waters of Lake Erie this December raise money for NY Special Olympics to help keep Unified Sports funded in our schools. Your donations mean more now than ever before.

Your support will directly affect the ability for the athletes of Special Olympics NY to participate in trainings, activities, and competitions at no cost to them or their caregivers!