Testimonials
Testimonials
motionball is Making A Difference!
My son is 31 years old and severely mentally disabled. He had always been considered an outsider and looked upon by his piers as different and unusual and awkward. This pains me to tell you this but to be honest….the constant rejection from schools and the daily reports of bullying and name-calling was not only affecting him but our family as a whole.
We were all at our whits end until 3 years ago when we were introduced to Special Olympics. We enrolled our son into a local floor hockey program and it was truly a god-send. For the first time in his life he wasn’t singled out as being different. In fact, he quickly worked his way up to playing on the #1 line and was to go to guy when goals were needed. I can’t tell you what this did for his confidence and self-esteem. He was beaming was pride and proud to call himself a Special Olympic athlete.
Paul – I am telling you this story today because this past Saturday at your motionball Marathon of Sport event a light came on in my head which had clearly been burnt out for years. It was during your opening ceremonies when you had all the team captains join you on the main stage and one by one each of the Special Olympic Athletes were introduced to their respective teams and to the entire audience for that matter as THE CELEBRITIES OF THE DAY! For the first time in decades I was again proud of hearing my son introduced by our last name.
For the past 31 years my son hasn’t done anything wrong…he was dealt a bad hand and has learnt to deal with it in his own way. At fault has been society at-large for their ignorance and more importantly my family and I for nearly giving up on our son.
So Paul – THANK YOU…to you and your team and all of your many corporate supporters for celebrating what so many people have given up on…those individuals, like my son, who are different; and awkward and disabled…for they too need to occasionally be recognized as the TRUE HEROES…just as they were May 24th!
A Special Olympics Parent
“For me motionball represents the ultimate fundraiser: good for the heart , good for the soul, and good for a really good time. I will never miss it.”
Michael Lansberg (TSN Sportscaster)
“Special Olympics is sport in its purest form: athletes demanding the most of themselves for the love of the game. motionball is full of young, energetic leaders showing compassion and support for these mentally challenged athletes. Special Olympics and motionball together are magic you should support.”
Michael “Pinball” Clemons (Former, Toronto Argonauts Coach)
“motionball represents several new and exciting fundraising events for Special Olympics Canada, but above all, it provides our movement with a new generation of supporters and friends who will carry the Special Olympics message into the future, ensuring that Special Olympics stays fresh and young and on its toes.”
Jim Jordan (Past President, Special Olympics Canada Foundation)
