Joey:(Q) Who started the PEI Chapter of Special Olympics ?
Chairty: (A) Special Olympics will be 30 years old in February 2017and it was Cecil Villard in Alberta. He had accepted a position out here for the Hospital and our national office said," Hey, why don't you try to start a chapter on PEI?" So when he came out here 30 years ago, he met with the different groups and we started the PEI chapter of Special Olympics. We were under the umbrella of "Sports and Recreation for the Disabled" at the time. In 1987 we broke apart to become our own acceded chapter of Special Olympics.
Chairty: (A) Special Olympics will be 30 years old in February 2017and it was Cecil Villard in Alberta. He had accepted a position out here for the Hospital and our national office said," Hey, why don't you try to start a chapter on PEI?" So when he came out here 30 years ago, he met with the different groups and we started the PEI chapter of Special Olympics. We were under the umbrella of "Sports and Recreation for the Disabled" at the time. In 1987 we broke apart to become our own acceded chapter of Special Olympics.
Joey: (Q) How many Special Olympians are there currently on PEI?
Charity: (A) Right now we have 249 registered athletes in our data base and we also have 170 or so that are in schools that aren't registered. So we are getting near the 500 mark!
Charity: (A) Right now we have 249 registered athletes in our data base and we also have 170 or so that are in schools that aren't registered. So we are getting near the 500 mark!
Joey: (Q) Where did the Special Olympics Start?
Charity: (A) SOPEI started in 1968 in Chicago in Soldier Field where Canada and the US compete. In 1969 it came to Canada.
Charity: (A) SOPEI started in 1968 in Chicago in Soldier Field where Canada and the US compete. In 1969 it came to Canada.
Joey: (Q) You have an "Athlete's Oath". Why is it important to Special Olympics?
Matthew: (A) In Special Olympics we have an Athlete's Oath and its very important. It encompasses all athletes involved with disabilities and the oath is, "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt." The emphasis is on giving your best effort, not to focus on the glory of winning a medial or a trophy. The focus is on just being proud of who you are and the effort you put forth.
Joey: (Q) How many Coaches are there volunteering on PEI? Do you need any others?
Matthew:(A)We are very fortunate to have 53 trained coach volunteers t o support our 57 programs. But we are in need of
additional support for the younger generation. We could use support all over the island. In Summerside we can use support in ten pin bowling and curling and in Kings County we could use support in our Community Sport Program, our basketball program, and walking programs and in central, we can use support at our youth program's community sport program floor hockey program and swimming program.
