” LET ME WIN, BUT IF I CANNOT WIN, LET ME BE BRAVE IN THE ATTEMPT”

On Saturday, October 13, 2018, Special Olympics Ontario- Brantford held its annual sports banquet.  This event was a celebration of all Brant Special Olympics athletes and their efforts during the past year.  Special recognition was given to those who competed on the Provincial and National stage. 

2018 Special Olympics National Summer Games

Brantford had 13 athletes attend the Special Olympics National Summer Games in Nova Scotia and PEI this summer.  The games were split between Antigonish, NS, (July 31 – Aug 4) and Charlottetown, PEI, (May 14 – 20). 

Results:

Also recognized were the efforts of one of our athletes who is a champion fundraiser.  Mr. John Procee is a familiar face to those who shop at the Metro grocery store on St. Paul Ave.  John spends hours at the Metro selling bird feeders, built with the assistance of his good friend Jim Wilson, to raise funds for Special Olympics.  Last year John raised a remarkable $23,000 and presented Special Olympics with a cheque during the sports banquet.  John has been an athlete and fundraiser for Special Olympics since 1997 and has raised more than $300,000.  What a remarkable Olympian!

Special Olympics Ontario- Brantford would like to thank Metro staff, management and their generous customers for their support of John and Special Olympics. 

John Procee presenting the $23,000 cheque to Jim Kruis- Special Olympics Ontario- Brantford Community Coordinator, and Grace Wilson, Special Olympics Ontario- Brantford Treasurer.

The Special Olympics Brantford committee now has more good news! 

“Our community will have three Special Olympics athletes joining team Canada to participate in the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:

Athlete:  Neil MacDonald– Singles Bocce

Athlete:  Kerry Lane– Singles Bocce

Athlete:  Jacob Potts– Athletics”

Special Olympics World Games 2019 will be hosted in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in March 2019 for the first time in the Middle East North Africa since the movement’s founding over 50 years ago. The Crown Prince Court led the winning bid efforts with a mission to promote positive social change for people with intellectual disabilities and create a more inclusive society.  Special Olympics is the world’s largest humanitarian sporting event and a global movement which focuses on the empowerment of People of Determination with intellectual disabilities through the power of sport.