The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

IT was a grand affair complete with specially catered food, balloons and activities, as Special Olympics Bahamas recently celebrated their annual party at the Botanical Gardens.

More than 100 Special Olympics athletes, coaches and parents were treated to a day of fun, all hosted by a team of Scotiabank employees.

The highlight of the event was a surprise guest appearance by Derek Adams and his famed puppet, Charlie – the Yellow Bahamian, who performed to the cheers of the athletes.

Amanda Moncur, national director of Special Olympics Bahamas, said the organisation is grateful because they depend on the support of corporate Bahamas.

“We cannot do it without their support; we provide the manpower, but the financial resources we have to get from elsewhere,” she said.

Maxine Seymour, manager of Public and Corporate Affairs, Sponsorships and Philanthropy at Scotiabank, said through the company’s Bright Future philanthropic programme they bring together the passion of employees, the insight of the bank’s partners and the spirit of communities. They aim to be relevant and responsive to the needs of the local community at the grassroots level.

“Special Olympics athletes are fabulous, and spending meaningful time with them is always an uplifting experience. Scotiabank employees worked hard to ensure that the event was a success,” Ms Seymour said.

“Some volunteers decided to challenge the Special Olympics team in a few games. The competition was intense and the athletes edged out the bank’s employees at every turn, perhaps gearing up for training season, which is set to begin shortly.”

Special Olympics Bahamas is a sports organisation designed for providing training and athletic competition for persons with intellectual disabilities. According to the international Special Olympics organisation, through the power of sports, people with intellectual disabilities discover new strengths and abilities, skills and success. Athletes find joy, confidence and fulfilment, on the playing field and in life.

“This is a totally volunteer organisation that has been in the Bahamas for 30 years,” said Ms Moncur. “We have special Olympics programmes in Grand Bahama, Abaco, and a growing programme in Eleuthera. We are still hoping to revitalise the Long Island programme. We have about 40 coaches involved throughout those islands. The sports that we train in are basketball, bowling, bocce, tennis, track and field, swimming, soccer and many more.”

She said most persons become involve when they are students and remain in the programme through adulthood. She also noted that the minimum age to participate in the sports activities is eight years old.

For kids seven years of age and under with intellectual disabilities, Ms Moncur said they would qualify to participate in a Special Olympics initiative called the Young Athletes Programme for children ages two to seven. This is considered their training ground to prepare for Special Olympics.

Leading up to local and international Special Olympics Games, Ms Moncur said the athletes spend their time training in the sport of their choice.

“There are some athletes who do basketball, but they don’t do bowling, and there are some who do all of the sports. My sister, for example, is a Special Olympics athlete. She’s 46 years old and when she started, she started in track and went on to swimming, then horseback riding and bocce,” said Ms Moncur.

“The training is every week during the training season. For example, right now we are in the track and field season, and every Saturday athletes would train. Throughout the year we have training and different competitions.”

She said the aim is to make Special Olympics a household name. While there are people who are aware of the organisation, Ms Moncur said they mainly know only about the Special Olympic World Games held every two years, alternating with Summer and Winter Games.

“People just think it is all about the big games that are held, but it is more than that; it is an everyday thing. We also have initiatives. For example, a programme called Healthy Athletes, where we get medical doctors, eye doctors and dentists examining the athletes. Unfortunately, we have only put on an Healthy Athletes event once, but we are hoping to do it again this May,” said Ms Moncur.

Being involved in Special Olympics Bahamas for the past 30 years, Ms Moncur said special education is also important to her. She said the Bahamas has progressed in regards to the improvement of special education, but there is still a very long way to go in the country.

“Special education is not given the resources that it needs, for example the funding. Most of the special educational institutions here in the country were started by parents or private organisations. I also think parents have to become advocates. They can’t rely on the schools and other people to do it for them, they have to get out there and command things for their children; become diplomatic advocates so that policies can change and things can be put into place,” said Ms Moncur.

Special Olympics Bahamas has grown from a body of 25 athletes and a programme on one island to 450 athletes and more Family Island participation. Ms Moncur said the more coaches and volunteers they can get, the more athletes they can train.

“None of us are paid and maybe that’s the reason why we don’t have a lot of coaches, but we are grateful. We are spreading the word that persons with intellectual disabilities can accomplish things. Our athletes are showing that they can. We are helping to dispel the myth that this is something bad, having your child born with a disability. We show how they grow into adulthood and contribute to society,” said Ms Moncur.

The Special Olympics Bahamas team is now in the preparation stages to take 36 athletes to international Special Olympics Games to be held in Los Angeles this July.

“The team will not officially be named until the end of the month, but some of them have an idea that they will be chosen,” said Ms Moncur.

Persons interested in either volunteering their time or making a financial donation to Special Olympics Bahamas may contact Amanda Moncur at 323-4669, 323-6000 or 477-0304.