SOSVG pitching for greater national acceptance, visibility

Sezevra Joseph, national director of Special Olympics St Vincent and the Grenadines (SOSVG), has revealed that the immediate focus of the organization is to become more visible and acceptable to the Vincentian public.{{more}}

Joseph, who took over the post last December from Janice Mc Master- O’Loughlin, revealed this to SEARCHLIGHT last Thursday.

“We would like to be more visible and [incorporated] into society… Whenever persons see Special Olympics out there, they are always surprised at the achievement of the athletes…. We want persons to know Special Olympics; it must just roll off the tongue and people must know that when you go to a Special Olympics activity, it’s fun and you could see that the participants are having a good time…. We want persons to come onboard and we are making a valiant effort to make Special Olympics St Vincent and the Grenadines more visible to the public,” Joseph explained.

Joseph noted that also part of the effort is the restructuring of the programme.

“We are working on a comprehensive unified football programme… Unified is the way that Special Olympics International is going now…. What we also want is more access to the programmes for persons with intellectual disabilities…. We are trying to incorporate the general public into games with our special athletes, so that you will have an even number persons playing in which-ever sport that is being played as unified with persons with or without intellectual disabilities,” the SOSVG national director confirmed.

Joseph said that as a means of the restructuring of the football programme, they are conducting an assessment, with a view to expansion in Georgetown, Biabou, Mespotamia, Kingstown, Barrouallie and Chateaubelair on the mainland, and Bequia, Union Island or Canouan in the Grenadines.

Joseph lauded the efforts two students of the Technical College – Shemika Charles and Gary Miller – who staged a fund-raising football match on Father’s Day at the Calliaqua Playing Field, which, she said, helped in keeping Special Olympics in the minds of people.

Joseph also thanked the Mustique Charitable Trust for its financial contribution to the soon to be launched Special Olympics Football Programme.(RT)