Sue Coviello knows a thing or two about volunteering and raising money.

She got involved with the Special Olympics 27 years ago when her daughter was getting left behind by traditional sports leagues.

In the years since, she’s coached teams, jumped into the ocean in winter, organized all kinds of competitions and welcomed new athletes to the Special Olympics family.

“I do it for these guys,” Coviello said Saturday at the YMCA.

The event was a way to raise money for the Capital Area Cougars team by playing cornhole, but it was also a chance to say thanks to Coviello.

“Sue is like the master of Special Olympics for the Concord area – anything, everything that needs to be done,” said Leslie Farmer, the head swimming coach, who has been with the team for a year. “She is a wealth of knowledge.”

Like always, Coviello helped organize the fundraiser but didn’t realize she would be honored too. She knew something was up when her husband decided to stick around a little longer than usual.

Then she received a plaque that came with lots of applause, thanks and hugs.

Farmer went around to area merchants and asked them for gift cards that would be given to the top teams in the cornhole tournament. They raised more than $1,000, which will be used to support various programs like bowling, swimming and skiing.

Coviello’s daughter Amanda has participated in multiple sports over the years, including skiing and equestrian competitions.

“They’re extremely tight,” Farmer said of the relationship between Sue and Amanda Coviello. “I believe the reason that Sue got involved with Special Olympics was because of Amanda. And I believe the reason that Amanda is still involved with Special Olympics is because Sue was still involved.”

Both Sue and Amanda have been featured in the Monitor before. Sue for her penguin plunges in the frigid ocean in January and Amanda for her continual push to become a better equestrian.

Without Sue Coviello, the Cougars team might not exist, said parent and fellow coach Glen Rand.

“She’s sort of the backbone of our organization,” Rand said.

Rand’s son has autism and he used to be deathly afraid of the water. It was a complete turnaround once his father got him in the pool with other Special Olympics swimmers.

“The people with the Cougars are just tremendous,” Rand said. “I mean, he’s built friendships, a lot of friendships. It’s a home for us.”

The fundraiser was held at a fitting location since the YMCA has done so much to support the Special Olympics over the years. The Cougars have been swimming and playing basketball at the YMCA in downtown Concord for the past 20 years.

“We can never thank them enough because our swim and basketball wouldn’t exist without them,” Coviello said.

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