It's a milestone year for the Lacombe and District Special Olympics as the organization marks its 20th anniversary.
"During that time, our participation has increased from about 20 athletes to 55 athletes," said Dwayne Campbell, the organization's director. He added the annual athletes' awards and volunteer recognition evening - open to athletes and guests - will be held on April 29 at the Lacombe Memorial Centre.
Things get underway at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend.
Campbell has been with Lacombe Special Olympics - which has members from the Ponoka and Rimbey areas as well - pretty much from the start.
His son Warren is an athlete in the program, and so to support his involvement, Dwayne has served as chair of the affiliate, as well as volunteering and handling coaching duties.
Ultimately, the program is about joining in on the fun, being active through the weekly sports programs, being part of the local Special Olympics team and enjoying many opportunities to meet new friends. Programs are open to youth, teens and adults who are eligible to take part.
As to this year, Dwayne is particularly excited as he reflects on the organization's growth over the years, and its positive impact on the athletes who take part in the activities, which include swimming, baseball, bowling and Bocce ball.
"It all started out more through the Action Group, with a few parents and probably less than 15 athletes," he said.
"Now we have more than 50, so we have tripled our participation over that time, and we added a new sport. So the significant things are the growth, and our number of athletes.
"Also, when we started out, it was a bit more focused on the city of Lacombe, and maybe the immediate surrounding areas. Now, we've expanded it to 'Lacombe and district'. And so we have athletes from Rimbey, north of Tees, and about 20 per cent of our athletes are from the Ponoka and Morningside areas," he added.
"So it's a broader area, which helps to increase our rate of participation and brings more diversity into the group. And besides the sports, there are also the social opportunities - where they can develop friendships."
Belonging to Lacombe and District Special Olympics has also opened the door for some athletes to connect with other sporting organizations across the region, he said.
"We have the opportunity to go to regional bowling tournaments in Olds and Red Deer in April. The Alberta Summer Games are in Grande Prairie this year, and we have three swimmers going to that as well," he said, adding a couple of the athletes are also connected to Red Deer Track and Field.
Ultimately, Dwayne is grateful for the dedicated volunteer support he has seen over the years, along with the tremendous support of the community in terms or providing excellent venues for the athletes to continue to hone their skills.
"We've also had excellent community support (in terms of) fundraising," he said. A key fundraiser is a annual bowling tournament where organizers invite sponsors, community businesses and local organizations to a bowling challenge with the athletes.
"It gives us a good financial base to support our athletes, and their registration costs.
"When I acknowledge our sponsors prior to the event, I make an effort to acknowledge the importance of their funding support and stress our appreciate their time commitment of taking the opportunity to meet our athletes and gain a better understanding and appreciation of their lives."
As Campbell pointed out, the program is vital as it opens doors to a greater sense of inclusion plus it provides opportunities for participants to enjoy fun and skill-building events.
It also provides a bit of a social network for the athletes' families as well.
"It becomes your second family."
Looking ahead, summer program registration is now open. "Those who are interested can register online through Special Olympics Alberta."
For more details, contact Dwayne Campbell at 403-782-6921, email him at adnil06@telus.net, or head to www.specialolympics.ab.ca/communities/lacombe.
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