Clinical Director Dr. Paula Hoover Recognized at State Summer Games

During Healthy Athletes activities at the State Summer Games in June, Special Olympics Kentucky presented Frankfort optometrist Dr. Paula Hoover with the Golisano Health Leadership Award for her work with Special Olympics health initiatives. The award was presented by SOKY Board Members Dr. Priya Chandan and Dr. Corrie Harris and Special Olympics Kentucky Vice President of Field and Athlete Services Kim Satterwhite.

Dr. Hoover has dedicated the last nearly 30 years to helping others see more clearly. In 2015, Dr. Hoover brought that passion for better eye health to the Special Olympics Kentucky Healthy Athletes program, stepping up when SOKY was without an Opening Eyes Clinical Director in 2015. Since that time, Dr. Hoover has been tireless in helping our athletes see better. She has provided screenings at the State Basketball Tournament, State Summer Games and MedFest. In her time as our Opening Eyes Clinical Director, Dr. Hoover has been responsible for more than 1,023 free exam exams provided to Special Olympics Kentucky athletes, in addition to ensuring over 774 pair of glasses, sport goggles and swim goggles have been delivered to our athletes.

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. This is the second time that Special Olympics Kentucky has presented the award. The last came in 2021.

For more information about the Golisano Health Leadership Award or about Special Olympics Kentucky Healthy Athletes Programs, contact Kim Satterwhite at 502-695-8222 or [email protected].