| June
4, 2009 - SOPEI Annual General Meeting -
Please be advised that Special Olympics PEI will be holding
their Annual General Meeting on June 23rd, 2009.
This meeting will take
place at 7:00pm in room 212 of the House of Sport located
at 40 Enman Cres, Charlottetown. Please RSVP your
attendance by June 16th, 2009 to csheehan@sopei.com
or 368-8919.

June
2, 2009 - RBC Dominion Securities Helps Islanders with Intellectual
Disabilities - David Smith of RBC Dominion
Securities presents Valerie Downe, Board President of Special
Olympics PEI, with a $2,500 donation from the RBC Foundation
to Special Olympics PEI. This donation will help support
the 340 Island athletes with intellectual disabilities participating
in sport.
Special Olympics PEI
is a charitable organization dedicated to enriching the
lives of Prince Edward Islanders with an intellectual disability
through sport. Athletes can participate in either community
or competitive sport streams and have the opportunity to
train year-round and compete at games held provincially,
nationally and internationally.
If you or someone you
know is interested in getting involved, please contact Special
Olympics PEI Program Director, Charity Sheehan at 368-8919
or via e-mail at csheehan@sopei.com.
May
27, 2009 - 2009 Special Olympics PEI 5-Pin Bowling Championships
– Over 200 athletes, coaches and volunteers took part
in the 2009 Special Olympics PEI 5-Pin Bowling Championships
on May 9 & 23 at Credit Union Place in Summerside and
the Murphy Recreation Center in Charlottetown respectfully.
The two day event seen
athletes from PEI and New Brunswick compete for top honors
in three divisions. “These tournaments were very successful
events for Special Olympics PEI. Our many volunteers make
events like these possible and we are so grateful for their
dedication to the over 340 athletes involved in our programs!”
Says SOPEI Program Director, Charity Sheehan.
Click
here for complete tournament results.
May
25, 2009 - Now supporting Special Olympics athletes is even
easier! - Canadian celebrities are joining
forces with STAPLES Canada to launch an online charity auction
that will raise funds to support Special Olympics athletes
across the country.
Notable Canadians including Rick
Mercer, Nelly Furtado, Darryl Sittler and Mike “Pinball”
Clemons have put their signature on STAPLES’
Easy Buttons to raise money for Special Olympics Canada
while marking the fifth anniversary of the iconic red button.
Head to www.ebay.ca/staplesspecialolympics
to view and bid or click the EASY button below!!

May
25, 2009 - PEI Swim Meet A Huge Success
– On May 3rd, PEI and NB swimmers took to the water
s at Fitness East in Montague for the end of season meet.
A total of 30 athletes competed in over 235 events during
the one day competition. The following are the results from
the meet. Click
here for full results.

April
30, 2009 - SOPEI Male Beauty Contest a HUGE success!! -
Pictured above are the judges of the 8th Annual Male Beauty
Contest (Left to Right– Reid Barnett, Karen Lavers
and His Worship Mayor Clifford Lee). The Beautiful “Lady”
with them is Miss Carr Stevenson & MacKay– Dynamite
Drysdale winner of Miss Special Olympics 2009.
Dynamite won the crown on April 28,
2009 in front of a crowd of 200 people at the Carrefore
Theatre in Charlottetown.
The 8th Annual Male Beauty Contest
is a fun and entertaining event with proceeds going to Special
Olympics PEI. This year, the event raised over $4,000 for
Special Olympics PEI.
Thanks to Margaret MacPherson and
Randy Holmes for organizing this event and to all the Sponsors,
Contestants, volunteers and spectators who helped make this
event successful.
March
20, 2009 - Annual Award Nominees Announced for Special Olympics
PEI - You are invited to join us on March
26th, 2009, when Special Olympics PEI will honor it’s
athletes, coaches, volunteers, parents and supporters at
their Annual Awards Presentation. The event will take place
at the Loyalist Country Inn in Summerside at 7:00pm with
a victory dance to follow at 8:30pm.
Awards will be presented in ten categories.
The nominees for the following awards are:
Eastlink Advertising Male
Athlete of the Year:
Rick Chan, Charlottetown Nordic Skier
Michael Morris, Stratford Nordic Skier
Greg St. John, Charlottetown Curler
PEI Mutual
Insurance Company Female Athlete of the Year:
Monique Gauthier, Charlottetown Curler
Amber Metcalfe, Charlottetown Swimmer
Alyssa Chapman, Montague Swimmer
Spirit Award
(athlete award):
Chris MacPherson, Charlottetown
Rachael Loggie, Charlottetown
Heidi Mallett, Alberton
Dr. Frank
Hayden Award (athlete award):
Logan MacLean, Coleman
David Smith, Charlottetown
Gwen Gallant, Tignish
Maritime
Electric Male Coach of the Year:
Terry Nabuurs, Montague – Soccer
David Morrow, Charlottetown – 5 Pin Bowling
Barry Murray, Summerside – Floor Hockey
Maritime
Electric Female Coach of the Year:
Ann Kilby, Tyne Valley – 10 Pin Bowling
Jodi Harper, Charlottetown - Athletics
Alysia Angus-Lunt, Montague - Swim
Community
& Cultural Affairs Sport Volunteer of the Year:
Judy Gallant, Charlottetown
Allan Stewart, Charlottetown
Sara Walsh, Montague
Iceland Arena and Bowling Lanes
in Montague will be the recipient of the Facility of the
Year Award. For the past number of years, this facility
has been an important part of the Special Olympics programs
in the Montague area. From ensuring ice time is available
for our figure skater to receive extra coaching to ensuring
that the Montague 5-Pin Bowling program had a home, the
staff of Iceland Arena and Bowling Lanes have been true
friends of Special Olympics PEI.
Paula Gauthier will receive the David
Andrew Memorial Award which was developed to recognize all
the unsung heroes within Special Olympics PEI…the
parents and guardians. Paula gives her time tirelessly to
ensure that her daughter, Monique, has every available opportunity
to succeed in sport. Paula can be found fundraising, playing
taxi driver and number one cheerleader at all Special Olympics
events.
Volunteer, Valerie Downe, will receive
the prestigious President’s Award which recognizes
the significant contributions made to the organization locally
and provincially. Valerie’s involvement with Special
Olympics over the past six years on the Board of Directors
has strengthened the organization in many ways. Valerie’s
ability to create momentum and inspire change has been instrumental
to the growth and development of Special Olympics on PEI.
In addition to the ten awards categories,
Special Olympics PEI will honor those volunteers who have
contributed 5 and 20 years of service to the movement.
The following volunteers will receive
5 years of service pins:
Janet Charchuk – West Prince
Amanda Peters – Souris
Stephanie Campbell – West Prince and Charlottetown
Hal Perry – West Prince
Pat Coady – Charlottetown
Paula Smith – East Prince
Michelle Chapman – Montague
Barry Murray – East Prince
Rushell MacDonald – West Prince
Peter Howatt has been a dedicated
volunteer in various Special Olympics sports and committees
over the past 20 years at both the community level and on
the national stage. Through his coaching duties, he has
had a very positive impact on the lives of many Island athletes
with an intellectual disability. His work on various committees
provincially and nationally have made a lasting imprint
on the Special Olympics movement in Canada.
Special Olympics PEI is a charitable
organization dedicated to enriching the lives of Prince
Edward Islanders with an intellectual disability through
sport. Athletes can participate in either community or competitive
sport streams and have the opportunity to train year-round
and compete at games held provincially, nationally and internationally.
For more information on the Annual
Awards, please contact Special Olympics PEI Program Director,
Charity Sheehan at 902-368-8919 or via e-mail at csheehan@sopei.com.

March
18, 2009 - UPSE has a Heart - Pictured above
is Shelly Ward(left), president of UPSE and Charity Sheehan(right),
SOPEI Director, with a cheque for $750.00. Special Olympics
was one of the community based organizations that UPSE contributed
to in this years Have a Heart campaign. For more information
please visit www.peiupse.ca
March
10, 2009 - Bowling Provincials - It is Bowling
Provincial time again! This year’s tournament is a
qualifying event for the 2010 Special Olympics Canada National
Summer Games in London, Ontario. Click
here for more information...
February
16, 2009 - Flowers in Bloom Campaign - Although
the weather isn’t warm enough for flowers, it is certainly
a great time to start thinking about your flower and seed
needs!
The Special Olympics FLOWERS IN BLOOM
CAMPAIGN is on now until March 6th with funds raised going
directly to Special Olympics PEI programs happening across
PEI.
Here are two ways you can help Special
Olympics PEI and get your garden started.
1) Click
here to view the complete Vesey's Spring Bulb fundraising
catalogue for the Flowers in Bloom Campaign in support of
Special Olympics PEI. Once you’ve chosen your
bulbs and seeds, call or email the Special Olympics office
at 368-8919/1-800-287-1196 or tracey@sopei.com
to place your order.
2) Do you have family and friends
who are avid gardeners? Why not take a fundraising catalogue
and ask your family and friends to buy bulbs and seeds from
the Flowers in Bloom Campaign! Bulbs and seeds range from
$10 - $15 with a 100% satisfaction guarantee from Vesey’s
Seeds. There is no minimum amount you need to sell; any
help you can give is greatly appreciated. Money raised will
go to SOPEI programs happening year round across PEI.
Special Olympics Community Council
volunteers are coordinating the Flowers in Bloom Campaign
to raise money for Special Olympics PEI. If you haven’t
been able to catch up with your community council coordinator,
you still have time! Email your local coordinator to arrange
pick up of your fundraising catalogue.
Your Community Council Volunteer
is:
Please Note:
Attached is the fundraising catalogue that your coordinator
will give you. If you’re not able to get out and about
to show your fundraising catalogue to your contacts, you
can email them the attached document and they can order
through email! (You’ll have to collect their money
before you submit the order to you community coordinator
on March 6).

February
13th, 2009 - Islander
has Triple Medal Finish at World Games
- Special Olympics PEI athlete
and Stratford native, Michael Morris(pictured above) had
a triple medal finish at the 2009 Special Olympics World
Winter Games in Boise, Idaho.
Wearing bib number 237
at the Nordic Ski venue in Sun Valley, Idaho, Michael raced
to the finish line winning two bronze medals (4x100m relay,
500m), silver medal (1 km) and many great memories from
the games.
Michael’s mother,
Judy MacDonald was able to be in Boise to witness his great
accomplishments. “Michael is so happy and now ready
to go home. It is so beautiful here. This is a great experience
not like Japan but wonderful in its own right. We are both
so pleased - me for him and him because he loves to get
medals.”
The 2009 Special Olympics
World Winter Games attracted more than 2,000 athletes from
nearly 100 countries for a week filled with world-class
competition and events. These games were the largest multi-day
winter sporting event ever held in Idaho.
As the games come to
a close on February 13 and as per tradition, the Closing
Ceremony is cast in an even more celebratory mode, rejoicing
in the triumph of the Games and the friendships kindled
in Idaho. Closing Ceremony’s protocol includes the
passing of the Special Olympics flag to the host of the
next Special Olympics World Games, Athens, Greece. And with
the extinguishing of the Idaho cauldron, the stage will
be set for a party that the athletes themselves will never
forget filled with music, dancing, color, excitement, friendship,
acceptance and good will - all in the true spirit of the
Special Olympics movement.
If you or someone you
know would like more information about how to BE A FAN of
Special Olympics PEI, please contact Charity Sheehan at
902-368-8919 or via e-mail at csheehan@sopei.com
December
10, 2008 - Annual Awards Coming Soon! -
SOPEI's Annual Awards are just around the corner. Do you
have someone you would like to nominate? Click
here for more information....
November
20, 2008 - Swim Events Planned for the 2008-2009 Season
- Click
here to see the flyer for our upcoming swimming events.
Contact SOPEI for more information!
November
19, 2008 - Fall/Winter Program Schedule
- Our Fall/Winter Program schedules are now online. Click
here to see what's happening in your region or
click here for a complete schedule of all our 2008-2009
programs.
November
18, 2008 - Fall Newsletter - National Awards,
Special Olympics Month, Be a Fan Campaign and much, much
more in the 2008 Fall Newsletter...
click here to see what's happening at SOPEI!
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