BC Special Olympics December 2018 Newsletter

Please note: The SOBC Provincial Office will be closed for the holidays starting December 21 and will reopen January 2.

2018 was a historic year for Special Olympics BC, as we celebrated 50 years of the Special Olympics movement.

The Global Day of Inclusion in July and the launch of our #50moments campaign highlighted the challenges overcome and the triumphs along the way.

Special Olympics Team BC 2018 members represented every British Columbian with pride at national competitions on the East Coast, coming home with medals, memories, and joy.

Our year-round programs and fundraising support continued to grow and strengthen, changing more lives through the power and joy of sport, and changing the way the world sees people with intellectual disabilities.

Read all about it in the 2018 SOBC year-end newsletter, featuring some of the great stories and inspiring moments that happened around the province this year!

>> Find the 2018 newsletter and more

By supporting Special Olympics BC, you can give a gift that provides year-round opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities to develop confidence, cultivate friendships, and reveal their true potential through the power of sport.

Give the gift of time

When you give the gift of time as a volunteer, you make Special Olympics BC programs possible. Whether you can give a few hours at an event or want to get involved weekly, we have a position for you. You can become a coach, assistant coach, or program volunteer, join a Local Committee, and/or volunteer at an event. Find out more

Support athletes

Donations to Special Olympics BC help provide vital funds for life-changing sport, health, and leadership programs for athletes with intellectual disabilities. These important programs help empower athletes to enrich their lives every day across the province! Donate now

Our thanks to all who supported Special Olympics BC on Giving Tuesday! And also thanks to everyone donating this holiday season and spreading the word to help enrich lives with Special Olympics BC!

As we look forward to the new year, we are very excited for the 2019 Special Olympics BC Winter Games, taking place in Greater Vernon February 21 to 23!

With more than 600 athletes set to compete in the Games, we will need more than 1,000 volunteers to create an empowering and inspiring experience for the participants from all around the province and the Yukon.

Please encourage anyone interested in volunteering to visit www.sobcgamesvernon.ca to register and be part of this rewarding experience. Sign up early to secure spots – the 2017 SOBC Games filled all available roles!

Volunteer registration is also available at the 2019 SOBC Winter Games office, located at VantageOne Credit Union, 3108 33 Avenue, Vernon. Entrance to the office is at the VantageOne Leasing entrance, located on 31 Street.

Sincere thanks to the Games sponsors who have signed on to date:

• Platinum Sponsors: City of Vernon and School District 22
• Gold Sponsors: Kal Tire, Royal Bank of Canada, Silver Star Mountain Resort, Sobeys Inc., Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, TD Bank Group, Tolko Industries, and Watkin Motors
• Bronze Sponsors: CFI, District of Coldstream, Nixon Wenger LLP, Regional District of North Okanagan, Teck, Tourism Vernon Commission, and Wayside
• Media Sponsors: 105.7 Sun FM, 1075 Beach Radio, Castanet, and Vernon Morning Star
• Healthy Athletes Sponsor: LifeLabs
• Volunteer Brunch Sponsor: VantageOne Credit Union

>> Games website

The holiday season is fast approaching, and for brave Polar Plungers – it’s beginning to look a lot like beach time.

Registration is now open for the Vancouver Island Polar Plunge for Special Olympics BC at Willows Beach on February 17 and the Vancouver Polar Plunge for SOBC presented by Westminster Savings Credit Union, coming to Kitsilano Beach on March 2. Don’t miss your chance to laugh, splash, and support a great cause with these fun-filled Law Enforcement Torch Run for SOBC events.

Looking to get in the Polar Plunge spirit? Check out our videos for the Vancouver Island Polar Plunge and Vancouver Polar Plunge.

Too chicken to get chilly? Send your contact information to mishida@specialolympics.bc.ca to get involved as a volunteer.

Supporters can also help by making a donation to the Polar Plunge.

>> Register now

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Special Olympics this year, we are taking a look back at the #50moments that have defined the Special Olympics movement here in B.C. and throughout the world.

Check out the latest #50moments:

• The International Day of Persons with Disabilities
• Steamboat Springs hosts first Special Olympics World Winter Games in 1977

Make sure to check our social media channels and website every Tuesday for the latest instalment and share the joy and inspiration that helped define the last 50 years of Special Olympics.

>> Click here for more stories

Get ready for a great night of faceoffs and fundraising on December 16!

Be there cheering in the stands as the Vancouver Giants go head to head with the Prince George Cougars at the Langley Events Centre. Buy your tickets through the Delta Police Department and a portion of ticket proceeds will support Special Olympics BC. Delta Police Department members will also be teaming up with SOBC athletes to sell 50-50 tickets at this BC Law Enforcement Torch Run fundraiser.

For more information and to buy tickets, contact Charlotte Taylor by email at ctaylor@specialolympics.bc.ca or by phone at 604-737-3056 / 1-888-854-2276 toll-free.

>> BC LETR events

Special Olympics BC – Kimberley/Cranbrook facilitator Shelley Joubert says doing functional testing as part of her Local’s Club Fit program has helped athletes build their fitness and self-esteem.

“You see athletes push themselves more,” she says. “They have their teammates and coaches cheer them on, and it pushes them to succeed.”

Functional testing involves exercises that measure fitness and foundational movements. These sessions are used to test an athlete’s fitness level, and to motivate and guide his or her training. Functional testing is important as it provides feedback to coaches regarding the program’s effectiveness and shows the personal progress of each athlete.

>> Read more

In November, two inspiring Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics BC leaders received prestigious awards in recognition of their hard work and dedication in support of the Special Olympics movement.

On November 10, BC LETR Provincial Director and retired Abbotsford Police Department Chief Constable Rick Lucy was inducted into the LETR Richard LaMunyon Hall of Fame. On November 29, Metro Vancouver Transit Police Interim Chief Officer Barry Kross received Special Olympics Canada’s Rob Plunkett Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) Award.

Pictured above right: Rick Lucy receives his award at the LETR International Conference in Las Vegas.

>> Read more

By Jacques Thibault, Special Olympics BC Sport Consultant

Jacques Thibault, an internationally recognized training and speed skating expert with a Master’s degree in science, works with Special Olympics BC athletes and coaches to help empower them to be their very best.

The holiday season is almost here, and Special Olympics BC programs are also taking a break, so staying in shape will depend entirely on you and the choices you make during the holidays. Here are some tips to help you stay in shape over the festive season.

Read more