Red Deer | Special Olympics Alberta

News & Highlights

Red Deer Free the Finest — Red Deer’s LETR ran another successful Free Our Finest at the North Walmart in Red Deer. They were able to raise $22000. Thank you to everyone involved and to all of the Central Albertans who donated to support Special Olympics Alberta.

Elliot Moskowsky meeting with the Mayor of Red Deer

Celebrity Breakfast

The 15th Special Olympics Celebrity Fundraising Breakfast was held June 15th where over two hundred members of the community enjoyed a delicious breakfast and listened to inspiring stories from Team Alberta curler Brittany Tran and Special Olympics Athlete Elliott Moskowy.

Women in Sport & Battle at the Beach

Eight athletes and four coaches attended the Women in Sport Conference June 3 and 4 in Edmonton where they took part in training sessions and mini competitions, listened to guest speakers and enjoyed interacting with other athletes and coaches.

A number of Red Deer Special Olympics athletes and coaches took part in this annual ball hockey tournament at Sylvan Lake playing exhibition games against various mascots and media personnel. Some of the funds raised will go to Special Olympics.

Marie Payne Receives Mayor Recognition Award

Marie received a Mayor’s Recognition Award as a Community Builder for her work with the Red Deer Central Lions Speedskating Club and Special Olympics Red Deer. Congratulations Marie!

2023 Polar Plunge Red Deer

Red Deer Polar Plunge 2023 — Polar Plunge 2023 was a great success with sixteen individuals plunging into the cold water to raise funds for Special Olympics Red Deer. This is the first time the event has been held in person since 2020 Over $6000.00 was raised thanks to the hard work of the LETR officers in organizing the event, the Special Olympics Red Deer volunteers who came out to help, the fundraising efforts of the plungers. and the support of our sponsors.

2023 Special Olympics Alberta Winter Games

Athletes, coaches and volunteers at the 2023 SOA Winter Games — Fifty-two Red Deer athletes, coaches and support personnel attended the Special Olympics Alberta Winter Game held in Strathcona County the last weekend of February. Our athletes came home with 14 medals including gold and silver in curling, silver in floor hockey, bronze in team bowling, three gold in speedskating and two gold, two silver and three bronze in singles bowling. Congratulations to all of our athletes and thank you to the coaches who gave of their time and energy to prepare the team for the Games!

Duane Demeria, Berni Smithman and Margaret Burgoine present Special Olympics Red Deer Chairman Jerry Tennant with a donation on behalf of the Associated Canadian Travellers.

The ACT has been a long time supporter of our programs.

Jerry Tennant and Chester Payne received a cheque for $1500.00 from Cody Hayes and Blane Friesen of Premier Auction in recognition of the accomplishments of Chester’s daughters Chantal and Thomasina and in support of Special Olympics Red Deer.

Thank you, Premier Auctions, for your generous donation.

Thanks to the hard work of the members of the Law Enforcement Torch Run organization and our Special Olympics Red Deer athletes and volunteers and the generosity of the people of Central Alberta, over $20,000.00 was raised during the annual Free Our Finest event at the north Walmart.

Special Olympics Alberta-Red Deer Chairman Jerry Tennant receives a cheque for $1000,00 from Rene Rondeau of Tourism Red Deer and Chris Windrim of the Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce.

Money for the donation was raised through a fundraising initiative held in conjunction with Team Canada during the teams World Junior Hockey training camp in Red Deer.

Players and staff held a "Paint Night" and the finished canvases were auctioned off resulting in over $10,000.00 being raised.

The funds were distributed to 7 local non-profit organizations. Thank you Tourism Red Deer, Chamber of Commerce and Team Canada for your support.