Special Olympians ready for take off with last-minute donation

Donations from the corporate community and other entities, coupled with the efforts of the Special Olympics SVG (SOSVG), mean 26 athletes will leave this country today to compete in the Special Olympics World Games.

According to SOSVG chair Sir Errol Allen, their goal to raise EC$180,000 was not reached in the days leading up to the team’s departure for Los Angeles.{{more}} However, a last-minute handover of EC$50,000 from the National Lotteries Authority (NLA), which took place at the athletes’ send-off ceremony yesterday, may have just taken the organization over their mark.

“I don’t have figures in my head. Up until the last three days, we were behind, but finally we got over it,” Allen told SEARCHLIGHT in an interview yesterday afternoon.

“It didn’t look so at first, but finally we were able to make it.”

Fund-raising efforts by the SOSVG included bingo games in Bequia and Georgetown, barbecues and a concert at the Russell’s Auditorium earlier this year.

However, Allen noted that most of the funds came from donations that were received from the corporate community. The SOSVG chair noted that Digicel and the Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines were major sponsors and over the past three years, they have been making contributions that defrayed some of the costs.

“What happened is that we started the process about three years ago,” he explained. “You know, you need to train the athletes. You can’t wait until the last year and that has helped us to defray some of the costs, getting equipment. So in the last run in the last year or so, we had others come on board…so we were able to do it.”

The athletes attending the Special Olympics World Games 2015 in Los Angeles will participate in various sporting disciplines, including aquatics, track and field, bocce, football and tennis. They will be accompanied by five coaches and the delegation is headed by the national director of SOSVG Janice McMaster-O’Loughlin.

During their send-off ceremony yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves urged these athletes to stay true to their oath; “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

The Prime Minister commended the leadership of the SOSVG and also thanked sponsors for contributing so that the athletes can take part in the Special Olympics World Games. Furthermore, he promised athletes that he would be present at the airport to greet them on their return, once he is in the country.

In brief remarks, SOSVG’s national director Janice McMaster-O’Loughlin also expressed sincerest gratitude to supporters and various entities that donated to the organization’s EC$180,000 goal.

The director also thanked parents and coaches for their unwavering support throughout the entire preparation period.

In addition to the NLA, Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Digicel SVG, sponsors include SVG Olympic Committee, MRI6/Friends of Jazz, SVG Football Federation, Friends of Bequia, ECGC, Going Places Travel, VINLEC, SVG Port Authority and T-Shirt Store.

The 32-member delegation is expected to return to St Vincent and the Grenadines on August 4.