The stars will shine bright in St. Albert next weekend at the Special Olympics Alberta Summer Games.
As of Thursday, 851 Special Olympians from across the province were registered in eight sports, including 27 males and 22 females from St. Albert.
"All the signs point to it really being a great event for everybody involved," said David Climenhaga, the organizing committee chair. "You should see some pretty exciting stuff."
The summer games will lead some Alberta athletes to the 2010 nationals in London, Ont., and maybe even as far as the 2011 international games in Greece.
The multi-sport event celebrates human dignity and perseverance. It promises to be a life-changing experience for the competitors and those who will watch them.
"It's going to be pretty special," Climenhaga said.
Special Olympics Alberta is a non-profit charitable organization committed to enriching the lives of Albertans with an intellectual disability through sport. Athletes develop sport skills, social skills and self-esteem, which assist them in becoming actively involved in recreational, educational and employment opportunities in their communities.
Friday's opening ceremonies at Servus Credit Union Place run from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and are open to the public. Shaw TV will also provide live coverage.
The sports schedule is as follows:
Athletics at Fowler Athletic Park: Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Aquatics at Fountain Park Recreation Centre: Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Five-pin bowling at St. Albert Bowling Centre: Friday noon to 2:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Ten-pin bowling at Gateway Lanes in Edmonton: Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Powerlifting at Servus Place: Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rhythmic gymnastics at Servus Place: Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Softball at the Paul Kane High School diamonds: Saturday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Soccer at Riel Park: Saturday 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"It's a tremendous opportunity for St. Albert to show off its facilities," Climenhaga said.
Athletes, coaches and affiliated team volunteers will be housed at MacEwan Residence, located next to Grant MacEwan College City Centre Campus, and will be bused to and from the venues.
"The complexity of that task worries me. If every bus is on time and every athlete is in the right place at the right time and everyone has a great time and everyone goes home after a smooth event, that's what I'm praying for," Climenhaga said.
With the games only a few days away, Climenhaga was on pins and needles.
"I'm feeling a lot of anxiety at this point just because of the complexity of the event," he said. "If we can go with minimum disruption from start to finish with everybody happy, with every event completed on time, I will be happy.
"I won't really feel relieved until the games are over and it's been a safe, positive event."
It's the first time in the 40-year history of the competition the summer games will be staged in Alberta's oldest community. Hundreds of volunteers are required to make it the benchmark for future provincials. If interested in helping out, visit www.stalbertspecialolympics2009.com to fill out the registration form that includes the different positions and time slots. Organizers can also be contacted at 780-460-7009 or [email protected]
"We've been blessed with a really terrific volunteer committee. They've made my work easy," Climenhaga said.
On Monday at 3 p.m., the Special Olympics flag will be raised in front of St. Albert Place. The ceremony will include Special Olympics members and dignitaries and city and provincial representatives.
At 4 p.m., a proclamation of support will be read at the St. Albert city council meeting.
For more information about the summer games, visit www.specialolympics.ab.ca
Athletes' expo
In conjunction with provincials, Special Olympics Alberta is hosting a Healthy Athletes Expo at Servus Place, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Athletes and people with intellectual disabilities are invited to attend. Representatives from the top provincial sport and health organizations will share ways to improve physical fitness and how to incorporate daily physical activity into your life. The event also includes hands-on nutritional education for sport performance and wellbeing.
Participating organizations include the Sport Medicine Council of Alberta, Community Dietitians, the Running Room and the Alberta Sport and Development Centre.
