Special Olympics PEI is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. This group of dedicated Islanders dedicate their time and talents to enriching the lives of Islanders with an intellectual disability through their volunteer service on our Board.
This week we are delighted to introduce one of our Members at Large - Laurie McNally.
Meet Laurie McNally
Laurie McNally joined Special Olympics PEI's Board of Directors in 2015 as a Member at Large, filling the role of Family Advocate. Laurie's daughter, Jessie Shanahan, has been a Special Olympics athlete for 13 years. Laurie is currently a Manger in Health Care, and has worked in Health Care and Social Services since 1995. In addition to her role on the Board, Laurie volunteers with the Charlottetown Swimming program, volunteers at events, and fill in as a taxi driver and substitute parent for athletes as needed.
Laurie joined the Special Olympics PEI Board to help move the organization forward, saying "As a mother of an athlete I felt a duty to support the program that has supported my daughter. I thought my education and experience would be beneficial to moving the organization forward. One of my mantras is either you are part of the solution or part of the problem so I choose to be part of the solution which is to make SOPEI the best possible organization it can be and offer the most it can to athletes and their families."
When asked about her favourite Special Olympics moment, Laurie spoke of attending Jessie's first swim meet: "The first competitive event my daughter attended was a swim meet in Montague and I was asked to be a timer at the last moment. I was over whelmed with how athletes, coaches, volunteers and parents cheered everyone on and the loudest cheers were for the athlete who was last in the pool. I cried most of the day, I cheered until I had no voice left and I felt so much happiness and pride for the athletes, coaches, volunteers and parents."
LEARN MORE
Learn more about, and meet the other members of, Special Olympics PEI's Board of Director
