Mark Tewskbury holds a Special Olympics Donut with 6-year-old athlete Alma.
Champions Network Founder Mark Tewksbury enjoys a Special Olympics Donut with six-year-old Alma.

Special Olympics Canada’s first-ever Day of Inclusion was a success, in large part thanks to the incredible support of the Champions Network.

On Saturday July 21, Special Olympics around the globe celebrated Global Day of Inclusion to mark its 50th Anniversary and help create a more inclusive society. In Canada, Tim Hortons worked with a Savanah Lussier, Special Olympics Alberta athlete to create a Special Olympics Donut for sale that day, with proceeds from every donut sold going towards Special Olympics athletes.

Nearly 80,000 Special Olympics Donuts were sold in a single day, raising more than $121,000.

Members of the Champions Network lent their support to help get the message out by posting to their social channels with a donut or visiting their local Tim Hortons. As a result, the #ChooseToInclude hashtag was trending in Canada the entire weekend.

Your involvement, especially when it comes to the power of social media, is integral in Special Olympics’ success. We hope we can count on your continued support on social media in the future.

If you aren’t already, follow @SpecialOCanada on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Jennifer Hedger post a picture with a box of Special Olympics Donuts.
Jennifer Hedger joins in the Day of Inclusion fun.
TSN's Bob McKenzie post a picture of the Special Olympics Donut to his Instagram.
TSN's Bob McKenzie spreads the word about Day of Inclusion.