A group of local Special Olympics athletes gathered at White Pines Collegiate Monday for a flag raising to begin the 50-day countdown to the inaugural 2019 Special Olympics Ontario Invitational Youth Games (IYG).
The Games will take place in Toronto in May, this year marking the 50th anniversary of Special Olympics in Canada.
Sault Police and Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre correctional officers were on hand for Monday’s ceremony, Special Olympics the charity of choice for the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
“We have 35 athletes here from Sault Ste. Marie who have earned their way to go to those games, so today we’re celebrating the games, and we’re trying to help them to do their fundraising to help pay for their expenses to go to the games,” said Sault Police Service Constable Shaun Beaulieu, speaking to SooToday.
Beaulieu said individuals and businesses wishing to donate funds may do so by going to the 2019 Special Olympics Ontario Invitational Youth Games website.
“Sault Ste. Marie was excellent when it came to hosting the 2019 Special Olympics Ontario Provincial Winter Games. We actually ended up in a surplus. That money is going to go on to help our local athletes for years to come, but at the end of the day we have over 2,000 athletes who will be attending these games, so it’s quite an expense to bring them all together, and every dollar is important. Any help will be greatly appreciated,” Beaulieu said.
Superior Heights, White Pines, St. Mary’s College and St. Basil students will be taking part in the inaugural 2019 Special Olympics Ontario Invitational Youth Games, marking the first time ever that high school-aged students with intellectual disabilities will have the chance to compete on the world stage.
The games will include basketball, bocce, floor hockey, track and field and soccer.
An individual athlete can be drafted for $1,000 for track and field, a basketball or bocce team for $5,000, a floor hockey or soccer team for $10,000.
Each community sending athletes to the games has set a goal of $50,000 for their Draft an Athlete fundraiser.