Hello, my name is Annie Mulligan, and I live in Madison, Wisconsin. I grew up in Lake Mills, a small town outside Madison. It was a very supportive community, and the kids in my grade were terrific, but I faced a big challenge growing up—I didn’t start talking until I was about 7 years old. It was hard for me to get my words out, and because of that, I was very shy and hardly talked to anyone. After high school, I moved to Madison, got a job, and became very involved in Special Olympics. Getting involved in sports has changed my life in so many ways. Before I joined Special Olympics, I was really nervous about meeting new people and trying new things. But Special Olympics gave me a chance to play sports and be part of a team, which helped me build my confidence.