Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, Special Olympics BC programs help thousands of individuals with intellectual disabilities celebrate personal achievement and gain confidence, skills, and friendship. Here we look at how motionball helps empower Special Olympics athletes across Canada to enrich their lives through the joy of sport, and introduces thousands of young professionals to Special Olympics through their inspiring events.
motionball is a not-for-profit whose mandate is to introduce the next generation of donors, volunteers, and sponsors to the Special Olympics movement through integrated social and sporting events. Since inception in 2002, motionball has donated more than $7.5 million to the Special Olympics Canada Foundation. In B.C., motionball events include Marathon of Sport Vancouver, Marathon of Sport Kelowna, and CrossFit 24.
motionball’s Marathon of Sport events are high-energy days of enthusiasm, inclusion, and team spirit as young professionals compete alongside local Special Olympics athletes in a variety of exciting sports. Teams have a lot of fun, create meaningful friendships, and raise funds to support Special Olympics programs across Canada.
This year’s annual Marathon of Sport Vancouver took place on June 10 at EA Sports complex in Burnaby. Presented by Vega, the exciting event saw 24 teams of young professionals joined by 33 local SOBC athletes for an amazing day of sport, inclusion, and joy.
In Kelowna, September 23 was a memorable day of laughter and team spirit as 28 teams and 40 Special Olympics athletes came together at City Park for a day of friendly competition and camaraderie at the 2017 Marathon of Sport Kelowna presented by Interior Savings Credit Union.
These two inspiring events raised nearly $230,000 for the Special Olympics Canada Foundation this year alone, helping provide life-changing sport and competition opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities across the country.
Official Marathon of Sport lunch sponsor Pita Pit also supported Special Olympics through their #BeAPitaPlayer campaign, which ran nationwide from October 16 to 27, 2017 and helped raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics programs in Canada.
Every October, participants in CrossFit gyms across Canada help make a difference by conquering motionball’s annual CrossFit 24 challenge. Working in teams of three to six, CrossFitters complete one high-intensity workout every hour for six, 12, or 24 hours to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics. In 2017, more than 700 participants in 26 gyms nationwide took part on October 21, raising over $116,000 to date for Special Olympics programs across Canada.
In B.C., Raincity Athletics stepped up to the challenge this year, completing 12 workouts in 12 hours and raising over $5,900 for the Special Olympics Canada Foundation.
We are so grateful to motionball for their ongoing support of Special Olympics throughout the country, and for introducing new volunteers and donors to the joy and power of the Special Olympics movement.