Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Welcome to Fascinating Facts and Tantalizing Trivia

A Hartson Dowd Column

July 23, 2006

SPECIAL OLYMPICS CANADA SUMMER GAMES

In Brandon, Manitoba

On behalf of the local organizing Committee, I welcome everyone to Brandon and area for the Special Olympics Canada 2006 Summer Games.

The games will be held in Brandon, Manitoba, CANADA from July 18 to July 23, 2006. I am sure you will enjoy the great hospitality that Brandon and area has to offer. The games organizing Committee is looking forward to your visit.

Bernie Chrisp
Games Chair

Manitoba to "Capture the Spirit" of Special Olympics Summer Games for the first time

BRANDON - Over 1,300 Special Olympics athletes, coaches and mission staff will gather in Brandon, Manitoba for the 2006 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games, the largest national Games to date.

Featured Events

5 pin & 10 pin Bowling

Aquatics

Athletics

Power Lifting

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Soccer

Softball

A Good News Story from Brandon

At the Special Olympics track meet, a young girl had just won the 50-yard dash and was jumping up and down all excited. She yelled out to her parents, "Look, Mom and Dad, I won!"

Her parents instantly burst into tears.

At the awards ceremony the young girl proudly stood there as a medal was placed around her neck. Then she ran to her parents, who were crying now even more than before. The three of them hugged... as the parents kept crying.

A Special Olympics official who had watched this whole scene became concerned and went over to the parents and said, "Excuse me, is there anything wrong?" Through her tears, the mother said, "No, nothing's wrong. Everything's right... We just heard our daughter speak for the first time."

About Special Olympics Canada

        Special Olympics Canada is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians

with an intellectual disability through sport. It is a national not-for-profit

organization that provides sport training and competition opportunities for

over 31,000 athletes. More than 10,000 certified volunteer coaches are

currently involved with Special Olympics programs nationwide. Special Olympics

Canada's programs are supported by corporate sponsorship, fundraising

activities, government funding and the involvement of volunteers in each

province across the country.

    For information about the Games, or a detailed sports schedule, go to the

Special Olympics Canada Summer Games official website www.2006brandonsocg.ca

Special Olympics athletes attending the Games have been selected to

represent their respective province or territory and will be competing for a

position on Team Canada to attend the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games

in Shanghai, China.

The direct and indirect local economic benefits of hosting the Games

include hotel room nights, increased revenues for food service outlets, and

national media exposure.

The first Special Olympics Canada Summer Games were held in Regina,

Saskatchewan in 1978 with about 500 athletes. Now, with more than double the

attendance, the 2006 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Manitoba are the

ninth such Games in the organization's 37 year history.

Hartson Sager Dowd

hsdowd@telus.net