The Special Olympics Ontario (SOO) Chatham-Kent community has gained momentum thanks to the recently held Ontario Special Olympics School Championships earlier this month.
Now, the organization is having an open house on Tuesday, June 25, at the Chatham-Kent Secondary School from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. to let community members learn more about the Special Olympics.
"We are holding an open house in hopes of getting new coaches to start some new sports and start back some that we had to stop... and we also hope to get new athletes of all ages from six to 99," said SOO Chatham-Kent Community Coordinator Velma Bachtold.
Jeff Charlesworth, program consultant for the SOO, is excited that interest is growing for the organization in Chatham-Kent.
"I think we found out when we were there last week that everyone is willing to help but not a lot of people know that we are there. This is getting the word out. We are here, we are looking to grow and anyone willing to help we will welcome you with open arms," said Charlesworth.
The SOO-Chatham-Kent offers season-long sports programs and is open to anyone interested in volunteering or participating.
The open house will also have basketball and indoor bocce available to try and watch and the hope is that someone will be inspired to coach or start up a new or existing sport in the community.
"We just started tennis and it's not a Special Olympics Ontario sport, so we are the first in the province to do it, but it is a world sport and we hope to start some others... we are open to trying anything," said Bachtold.
Charlesworth hopes people will come out to the open house on Tuesday and learn why something like the Special Olympics is so important.
"It gives opportunities for physical activity and for social activities for people who might not get the opportunity elsewhere. Some of our athletes get excluded from mainstream programming and this is kind of something we want to make sure everyone has the right to play and participate."
