Special Olympics to host Carl Erskine movie screening
Mar. 29—NEW ALBANY — There's always something going on for Special Olympics athletes in Indiana.
Just ask Clark-Floyd Special Olympics athlete, intern and podcast host Dorie Zipperle of Greenville, who's getting ready for the organization's "friendraising" event planned for next week in New Albany.
"We're having a get-together and we're trying to get more people in seats right now," Dorie said. "(We're showing a movie) called 'The Best We Got: The Carl Erskine Story.'"
The movie details the life of Indiana native and Major League Baseball player Carl Erskine, a member of the 1955 World Series-winning Brooklyn Dodgers team known as the Boys of Summer.
Erskine broke barriers for people with disabilities and has been an advocate of the Special Olympics since its inception. His son, Jimmy Erskine, was born with Down Syndrome.
The film came out last year and its director Ted Green will attend the showing. Special Olympics Indiana CEO Jeff Mohler will also be there. Both are expected to speak.
Dorie's dad, Brian Zipperle, said the goal of the event is to get more people involved with the organization. So far about 100 tickets have been sold.
"We need volunteers. Special Olympics is growing and we need more volunteers for that reason," Brian said. "There are a lot of people in our community, and Dorie is a good example. Dorie didn't get involved until she was in her 20s. There are a lot of people out there who could benefit from Special Olympics earlier. We are trying to raise awareness in the community."
For Dorie, being an athlete in sports like golf, volleyball and bowling has allowed her to connect and give back to people in the area.
Along with being one of the state's interns for the organization she also hosts a podcast for Special Olympics. It's called "Hoosier Favorite Athlete" and the most recent episode is an interview with Special Olympics Athlete Paula Wilson Sneed.
"It's about the movie and I interviewed Paula Sneed from our county," Dorie said. "We used her story and how it ties into the movie."
She said she encourages anyone who is interested in joining Special Olympics to take the leap and give it a try.
In a few weeks Special Olympics athletes in Indiana will travel to Terre Haute to compete in the organization's Summer Games at Indiana State University. More than 3,000 athletes plan to attend.
Dorie said this event, along with others, are important for people who participate.
"When you start you don't want to be looked at as someone with a learning difference," she said. "(You fill out a piece of paper) to be an athlete and there's all these things you have to pick (with different learning differences) and when you do it's like, 'Why do I have to answer these questions?' Once you do get involved, after you fill out that paper and stuff, you just wish you could've done it sooner."
The movie will be shown at The Grand, 138 E. Market Street in New Albany.
The showing starts at 6:45 p.m. and tickets are $4.17.
Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-best-weve-got-the-carl-erskine-story-tickets-525623402747.