Santé -The Red Bull 381 Projects Gallery in Toronto’s Queen West district is billed as “a platform to engage and gather creative minds to collaborate and broaden passions”. For one special evening in June, it also was a gathering place for sponsors of the Special Olympics Festival, both new and longtime, who also register high in both creativity and passion.On the rooftop patio, above one of the city’s most eclectic neighbourhoods, these honoured guests were treated to an exclusive wine tasting by Vincor Canada. Sommelier Elsa MacDonald paired wines with seasonal delights from caterer Daniel & Daniel. Keith Pelley, Festival chair and Emily Boycott (pictured above with her dad, David), gold medal winner at the 2007 World Summer Games delivered remarks as emcee and keynote speaker, respectively.
Special Olympics festival would like to thank Jay Wright of Vincor Canada as well as Andrew Bulmer and Red Bull Canada for their contributions to the evening’s success.
From left to right: Andrew Bulmer, Red Bull Canada; Keith Pelley, CTV-Rogers Olympic Consortium and chair of the Special Olympics Festival; Jay Wright, Vincor Canada; David Garard, Garard Benefit Consultants Inc.
Strength through partnership -The Canadian Coaching Association welcomed nearly 100 partners to Ottawa in June for the National Coaching Certification Program Partners’ Day, at which Special Olympics Canada had an important role. Christina Campbell, a rhythmic gymnast and STAPLES’ associate and the Boise-bound duo of figure skater Kyle Mayhew and snowshoer Rob McLellan were on-hand to welcome delegates at a breakfast sponsored by SOC.
Special Olympics Canada also received special recognition for achieving final approval from the National Coaching Certification Program for the Special Olympics Community Sport Initiative, a move that transitioned coach training from a previous program.
Special Olympics Canada has a thriving relationship with the CAC, initiated more than twenty years ago when the first Special Olympics coach education courses were entered into the NCCP database. Since then, coach education remains at the core of the partnership and the number of Special Olympics volunteer coaches in Canada has swelled to more than 10,300 with SOC set on increasing that number by 9 per cent each year until 2012.
Sharing the dream -Erin Roy realized a dream when she carried the Olympic torch in the city of Shangri-la, China last month in honour of her uncle, the late Det. Constable Robert Plunkett.
Roy was one of three finalists of an online contest organized by Lenovo, Special Olympics Canada’s sponsor and also designer of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch, who ran a leg of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay, billed as the longest ever relay in the history of the Olympics. Her essay, chosen from more than 6,000, secured her a spot in a group of 18 finalists, who were then asked to produce a 30-second video that the general public voted on.
The wife and mother of two, who is also a financial advisor, dedicated the run to the memory of her late uncle who was killed in the line of duty in August 2007. York Region Det. Constable Robert Plunkett was a 22-year veteran of the force and an avid Special Olympics volunteer who was involved with the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for more than 15 years. LETR has raised over three million dollars for Special Olympics Canada.
