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| Special Olympians march through Charlestown. |
CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 6, 2006) -- The Nevis Island Administration continued to show its solid support behind the island's youth and on Saturday February 4, 2006, it was for the Special Olympians on Nevis.
During a parade through Charlestown by Special Olympians from Nevis and St. Kitts followed by a ceremony at Grove Park to launch the commencement of a week of activities from February 4th-11th under the theme "Special Olympics: More than Sports", Junior Minister of Education in the NIA Hon Livingston Herbert who had marched with the athletes said that the Administration was committed in its continued support for Nevis" special children.
I want at this point to commit the Nevis Island Administration as we have done in the past, we will continue to support Special Olympics. I know that the Special Olympians have represented us well at home and abroad, in North America especially in Canada, North Carolina, Minnesota and of course in Ireland.
"They are at the point now where they are raising funds to represent the Federation in China and I want to make a general appeal, let us commit ourselves to support them because I believe they have made the attainment of gold medals a practise in this Federation. They have led the way and I believe that if we can give them our support they will continue to make us proud. A very happy week of activities and once again I commit the NIA to supporting the Special Olympics," he said.
He said it was necessary to go beyond depending on the volunteers and that it was important for all in the Federation to pledge a commitment or renewed commitment to support the special athletes since they had represented St. Kitts and Nevis well, within the region and beyond.
Mr Herbert challenged all to help train the Special Children for life and they should be supported and encouraged to develop their talents.
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| (L-R) Jr. Minister of Education in the NIA Hon Livingstone Herbert and Ms Jacquline Brookes Act Principal Assistant Secretary, Min of Youth and Sports march with Special Olympians. |
"Many of the best handicrafts that I have seen in Nevis whether it is in shoe making or drawing they are being done by special needs children&Whenever they do something and they do it well or not we need to compliment them. In terms of craft items, we need to purchase and show our support and that is one way in which the public can demonstrate their support to the Special Olympics," he said.
On Sunday February 4th the athletes attended a church service at the St Paul's Anglican Church. The Special Olympics Week of Activities continues with an Appreciation Day on February 7th, a Cake sale at the D.R Walwyn Square on February 9th and culminates with Healthy Athletes in St. Kitts on February 11th.
Meantime, Ms Claris Cotton National Director for the Special Olympics in St. Kitts and Nevis during remarks disclosed that Special Olympics St. Kitts and Nevis would be providing medical screening for the athletes at the St Johnson Village Community Centre in keeping with a new initiative called Healthy Athletes introduced by the Special Olympics
We have been exposed to it when we go overseas to games. Our athletes get their hearing tested, they get their eyes tested , if they need glasses they get it, their physical fitness is tested and at the end of our week of activities next week Saturday we are going to be providing a Healthy Athlete screening in St. Kitts at the St Johnson Village Community Centre. All our athletes and we are hoping if anybody has an athlete at home, a person with a disability and they need screening their teeth, their eyes, their hearing , their physical fitness that they will bring them out next week and have them tested.
"So next Saturday we are going to be providing medical screening for our athletes. We are hoping to be able to provide glasses for those who need them and maybe hearing aids for those who need them so that our theme would really come out "Special Olympics More than Sports", she said.
Ms Cotton also issued a call to the community both in Nevis and St. Kitts to continue to support Special Olympics and the various activities that the athletes would be participating in for the week adding "we ask that you support us financially as well so that we can continue to provide training, competition and other programmes to make it really a programme that is more than sports. Special Olympics has another logo that says "Special Olympics Training for Life" so help us to train our athletes for life."
According to Ms Cotton in Special Olympics the athletes learn to compete in sports and throughout the year they are involved in physical training and sports competitions in nine disciplines.
She noted that the involvement of the athletes in nine sports was good particularly coming from a population of people that was thought could not do sports and they have proven otherwise over and over again through the world games and regional games, "we are very, very grateful for our athletes, their determination and their perseverance. We salute them for that".
During the ceremony other remarks came from Ms Jacquline Brookes Acting Principal Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the invocation was delivered by Rev Salome James, the national Anthem was sung by the athletes while Ms Adella Francis Chairperson of the Special Olympics, Nevis gave welcome remarks and served as chairman.
