With 100 days to go until the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games, organizers have launched the official volunteer registration site and welcomed Prince George to come together to volunteer and create an empowering experience for more than 1,200 athletes with intellectual disabilities.
On April 1, 2025 Special Olympics BC Games Co-Chairs Lyn Hall and Renee McCloskey joined Director of Volunteer Services Donna Flood, Athlete Ambassadors Chase Caron, Adam Spokes, and Marinka VanHage, fellow Games Organizing Committee members, Games sponsors, and community members for a 100-day countdown celebration. They showcased the rewarding volunteer roles that will be available with the 2025 SOBC Games from July 10 to 12.
To provide a high-quality competition experience for the Special Olympics BC Games athletes from across the province, the 2025 SOBC Games will need approximately 1,000 local volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds, along with the generous support of sponsors and donors. Details and volunteer registration can be found at SOBCGames.ca.
“We need about 1,000 volunteers to contribute their time and talents to put on these Games from July 10 to 12. You’ll find that you will get back so much more than you give,” Flood said. “We invite all of Prince George to come together for this meaningful experience and show our pride in our Special Olympics athletes who work so hard in their sports.”
The April 1 speakers were joined by Special Olympics BC – Prince George rhythmic gymnasts Angela Hills, Darcie Muzychka, and Michaela Samsonoff, who delivered a sport demonstration supported by coaches Delores Neukomm and Annaliise Wilson.
SOBC – Prince George will be represented in the 2025 SOBC Games by 42 athletes and 12 volunteer coaches and mission staff, proudly participating in 8 of the 10 Games sports. Team rosters can be found at SOBCGames.ca.
“I am very excited that these Provincial Summer Games are in Prince George, so my family and friends can watch me,” VanHage said. “I am proud to be an athlete in Special Olympics, because I am part of a team. I am a role model, and I help people. It makes me happy to be helpful. Everyone in Prince George can help too! You can volunteer, you can donate, and you can come out and cheer. You can be part of something great!”
More Voices
• Adam Spokes: “Special Olympics athletes are serious about our sports. Yes, we have fun and we meet new people, but we also take ourselves and our coaches seriously. We train hard, and we compete with pride. The 2025 Special Olympics BC Games will give us the opportunity to see us succeed and show our skills, and hopefully encourage even more people to get involved in our year-round Special Olympics programs here in Prince George.”
• Chase Caron: “To me, Special Olympics means inclusion, equal opportunity, and celebration of abilities of the differently abled. It’s a platform for us to shine and showcase our talents, and it’s a reminder that everyone deserves the opportunity to participate in sports and compete on an equal footing.”
• Lyn Hall: “We sincerely thank everyone who is stepping forward to include and support Special Olympics athletes, including the volunteers and the generous sponsors who have already signed on for the Special Olympics BC Games. We have a number of meaningful opportunities to offer other local businesses and donors who would like to join these champions of inclusion, and we invite everyone to visit SOBCGames.ca to learn how they can get involved and change lives, including their own.”
2025 SOBC Games Background
• The 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games will be hosted in Prince George on July 10 to 12. Full SOBC Games details can be found at SOBCGames.ca.
• Approximately 1,000 volunteers and sponsor support will be needed to make this life-changing event a reality.
• The 10 sports in the 2025 SOBC Games are 10-pin bowling, basketball, bocce, golf, rhythmic gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, and track and field.
• 2025 Special Olympics BC Games athletes earned their berths in the provincial competition through their performances in Regional Qualifiers, which were held throughout the province from February to July 2024. Top performers in Prince George will qualify for spots on Special Olympics Team BC for the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The 2026 SOC Games will be the qualifier for the 2027 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Santiago, Chile.
• 2025 will mark the third time Prince George has hosted Special Olympics BC Games.
• Special Olympics BC – Prince George runs weekly sport, youth, and health programs for local athletes with intellectual disabilities, offering meaningful opportunities year round. Details and program volunteer opportunities can be found here
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About Special Olympics BC
Special Olympics BC is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities through sport. In 55 communities around the province, we provide year-round training and competitive opportunities in 18 different sports to thousands of athletes of all ages and a wide range of abilities, thanks to the dedicated efforts of coaching and organizing volunteers. For more information, please enjoy our website here and find us on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, TikTok @specialolympicsbc and on X @SpecialOBC.
To learn more about the empowering year-round sport, youth, and health programs offered by Special Olympics BC – Prince George, please visit their page on this website and connect with them on Facebook.