Special Olympics offers mixed bag of sports - Cheryl Bruce

If I have caught your attention with my last three columns and you would like to join up with our Special Olympic sports this winter, please phone Lynne Houle, the Sudbury co-ordinator at 855-1219 or Andre Laurin, in public relations, at 585-1535 for more information.

Here are some of my friends to tell you how they feel about being involved in Special Olympics.

Brain Norton has been involved for 10 years enjoying every minute of it. He is busy in bowling, t-ball, track and field and swimming. When asked what he enjoys the best, he says the people.

For the past six years, Kim Greene has been busy with bowling, t-ball, and track and field. She looks forward to the dances and helping out wherever she can Ryan Normand has been part of Special Olympics for the past 13 years. He enjoys all the sports he joins and has gone to provincials and nationals, and his goal is to get to the world’s. He keeps himself busy with bowling, track and field, swimming, snowshoeing and soccer.

Denise and Ray Robichaud are our married couple who have enjoyed 20 years of Special Olympics sports. Although married life keeps them busy, they are both involved in bowling and t-ball.

Shelley Nieforth has been involved for 10 years, and loves bowling every Friday with her friends. Shelley is also a floor hockey player.

Likewise, Penny B. said she goes to Friday night bowling to be with her friends. She looks forward to that every week.

As you can see, everyone chooses sport, and does what they want with it. It is a great way to meet new friends and learn how to play different sports. If interested, there is room for you.

Any volunteers interested in helping us out in any of the sports, or for a fundraiser, you are more than welcome. Registration forms can be found at our website, www.specialolympicsontario.com, on the “Forms” page. Fill them in and give them to the sports’ head coach, Lynne or Andre. Just print them out fill them in, and you are three-quarters of the way there.

Cheryl Bruce is an athlete ambassador for the northeast region of the Special Olympics in Ontario. This is the fourth in a series of six columns appearing in Northern Life.