Longtime Volunteer Runs SOKY First Aid Program

Longtime Special Olympics Kentucky volunteer Jeff Corder of Bowling Green has been honored as the 2026 winner of the Golisano Health Leadership Award. Corder has worked with the Kentucky Special Events Medical Team, which provides all first aid coverage at Special Olympics Kentucky state-level events and many regional events, for more than 35 years. He has led the program for almost two decades. The presentation was made in March at the Special Olympics Kentucky State Basketball Tournament.

In addition to his work at state events, Corder has served as the medical staffer for the Team Kentucky delegation at the USA Games since the second Games in 2010. In that role he has helped countless athletes manage injuries and recover from illness and helped keep them involved in their competitions. This June Corder will once again be part of Team Kentucky at the USA Games, his fifth trip.

In presenting the award, Special Olympics Kentucky Health and Wellness Director Brennan Smith said, “(Jeff’s) dedication has changed lives. He’s been there in moments of triumph, nerves, excitement, and challenge. He’s offered not only medical support, but encouragement, kindness, and a sense of safety that allows athletes to compete with confidence.”

Corder, who works as a nurse at TriStar Skyline Medical Center in Bowling Green, is the sixth recipient of the award in Kentucky.

The Golisano Health Leadership Award is presented in recognition of outstanding leadership in Special Olympics Kentucky health programming and ongoing commitment to advancing inclusive health for people with intellectual disabilities.

For more information about the Golisano Health Leadership Award or about Special Olympics Kentucky Health Programs, contact Brennan Smith at 502-695-8222 or bsmith@soky.org.