On Sunday, October 1, 2017, over 200 supporters of Special Olympics PEI joined together to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Special Olympics movement here in PEI. Athlete and volunteers, along with their families and friends, were joined by supporters, sponsors and alumnae.
In the 1982, Special Olympics PEI was under the umbrella of the organization known as Sport and Recreation for the Disabled, led by Frank MacIntyre. It was in1987 when we branched out and became a fully accredited program of Special Olympics Canada. 2017 marks the 30th Anniversary of Special Olympics here in PEI.
Today, Special Olympics PEI has over 500 athletes -334 athletes in our community programs and another 224 school based athletes. We offer 18 official sports, 3 youth programs, and 2 performance programs over 89 weekly programs. Our athletes and programs are supported by over 120 volunteers, including 84 trained coaches. Beyond the fields of play, our athletes now also have the opportunity to participate in Athlete Leadership programs and Healthy Athletes screenings.
The past 30 years have seen a great deal of growth for Special Olympics PEI, and while a lot may have changes, one thing has stayed the same - our commitment to our athletes. We remain dedicated to enriching the lives of Islanders with an intellectual disability through sport.
As a part of the Celebrations, Special Olympics PEI presented long serving volunteers who are marking years of service milestones in 2017.
10-Year Pins
2 volunteers received 10-Year pins: Estelle Smith for her volunteer work with the Tyne Valley 10-Pin Bowling program and Reid Barnett for his work on the SOPEI Board of Directors and Festival Committee.
15-Year Pins
7 volunteers received 15-Year pins: Alysia Angus Lund for her volunteer work with the Montague Swimming program, Rickey Burns for his volunteer work with the Charlottetown 5-Pin Bowling and Floor Hockey programs along with the Central Fundraising group, Lew Champion for his volunteer work with the Summerside 5-Pin Bowling, Bocce and Softball programs, along with the Prince County Fundraising group, Carole-Ann French for her volunteer work with the Charlottetown 5-Pin Bowling and Bocce programs, the Central Fundraising group, and as a Festival volunteer, Ann Kilby for her volunteer work with the Tyne Valley 10-Pin Bowling program along with the Prince County, Margaret MacPherson for her volunteer work with the Central Fundraising group, and Dave Morrow for his volunteer work with the Charlottetown 5-Pin Bowling, Bocce and Soccer programs and as a Festival volunteer.
20-Year Gift
Janet Bradshaw received a gift for 20 years of volunteering with Special Olympics PEI. Janet has been involved with the Summerside Athletics and Snowshoe programs along with the Prince County Fundraising group. Read more about Janet Bradshaw.
