By Mark Dreger
Kelowna residents gathered in City Park Saturday to participate in the 6th Annual Motionball event to raise funds for the Special Olympics Canada Foundation.
About 350 athletes and 60 volunteers competed in the Marathon of Sport event with each team having at least one of the 44 Special Olympians on their roster. Athletes played football, soccer, Frisbee, basketball, ball hockey, and even human foosball to name a few.
香蕉视频直播淲e want to educate young professionals on intellectual disabilities and the Special Olympics (SO) movement,香蕉视频直播� said Donnie Ungaro, motionball co-event director for Kelowna. 香蕉视频直播淭wo per cent of the Canadian population has an intellectual disability, yet only 20 per cent of those are in Special Olympics programs, so we want to get our generation involved in the movement as donors and coaches and sponsors and helping out with it.香蕉视频直播�
Motionball wants to help people integrate with Special Olympics香蕉视频直播� athletes so that when they see someone with a disability on the street, they are encouraged to talk to them instead of shying away.
Peter, an SO athlete who attended his second Motionball event, enjoys meeting new people and having fun playing sports.
香蕉视频直播淚 lot of people know that there香蕉视频直播檚 people with disabilities that want to compete in sports just like people without,香蕉视频直播� Peter told the Capital News. 香蕉视频直播淚 did want to join sports when I was growing up in school. I did a few like track and field, but I didn香蕉视频直播檛 really start doing sports until I joined Special Olympics.香蕉视频直播�
Peter has been a part of Special Olympics for four years and he will be playing in soccer nationals next summer.
Fellow special Olympic athlete Claire was the youngest participant in Motionball this year at 9-years-old. Claire said she likes playing basketball and hockey, but her favourite is ribbon gymnastics where she does cartwheels, handstands, and the splits.
香蕉视频直播淗aving an intellectual disability doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mean that they香蕉视频直播檙e different than us,香蕉视频直播� said Erica Hudson, marketing director for Motionball. 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e completely the same and they香蕉视频直播檙e so talented, so it香蕉视频直播檚 just good all around.香蕉视频直播�
Hudson first joined Motionball as a team member several years ago, but after experiencing the event firsthand meeting like-minded people and playing for a good cause, she joined the team and has been the marketing director for the last 2 years.
香蕉视频直播淭here was somebody last year who had epilepsy who always wanted to be a part of sports but always felt kind of left out and now being a part of Special Olympics makes her feel like she can achieve anything and she香蕉视频直播檚 doing outstanding,香蕉视频直播� Hudson said. 香蕉视频直播淭his event is not only a lot of fun, but is also bringing young professionals and the next generation of philanthropists together with Special Olympic athletes and the movement and just showing what it means to give back.香蕉视频直播�
Motionball in Kelowna has grown from 21 teams last year to 28 this year. According to Ungaro, donations have gone up between 35 and 40 per cent in the last year as awareness of the event increases.
Motionball plans to raise $100,000 for Special Olympic athletes and they are confident they will surpass their goal. Motionball has already raised $1.25 million this year nationwide. 100 per cent of the funds raised through Motionball Marathon of Sport will go towards expanding Special Olympics programming to increase accessibility to individuals who would benefit.
Over 6,000 supporters and Special Olympics athletes participate in 24 annual events across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax.
香蕉视频直播淚f you haven香蕉视频直播檛 heard of MotionBall, get involved,香蕉视频直播� Ungaro said. 香蕉视频直播淭he Special Olympians will change your life. We香蕉视频直播檙e fortunate as young professionals and people without the disability, yet the athletes are happier and just kinder than us, so I think we have more to learn from them than they do for us.香蕉视频直播�
