IT’S been a bumper year for Isle of Man Special Olympics.
Nearly 40 supporters attended the Special Olympics’ 27th Annual General Meeting where national director Beryl Wooldridge told the gathering what a successful year it had been and how proud she was of the achievements of the group.
This message was reinforced by the group’s patron, Margot Stott, who thanked everyone concerned for their contributions to the group during the year.
The coaches in each sport gave reports that made it clear that the highlight of the year had been when the group sent a squad to represent the island at the World Summer Games in Athens in June.
Their achievements were detailed by each coach, along with the medals they had won and some of their experiences in Athens.
However, this did not detract from the continued coaching effort put in throughout the year in the various sports and the smaller invitational games which athletes had attended.
Special Olympic cyclist Chris Hattersley was elected to act as the athletes’ representative on the committee.
Athletes Nicky Wright, Ewan Donnell and Duncan Watterson won awards in their respective events and Suzanne Woods won the Nicola Wooldridge Shield for her overall contribution to the Special Olympics.
While the financial situation of the group is currently healthy, Treasurer Janet Norbury emphasised the need to keep up fundraising activities with the next World Winter Games in Seoul, South Korea, now less than 15 months away.
Secretary Andy Ramage urged members to use the new website at www.specialolympicsiom.org as it was now a valuable source of information for the group as well as providing new and promising means of fundraising.
It is continually being updated with new information and photos being added to it.
Chairman Mo Sherring wound the evening up by thanking all those who had attended and said they were looking forward to another exciting, sport-filled year in 2012.
www.specialolympicsiom.org
