Run-a-thon to raise funds for Special Olympics

The disabled among us are all too often shut away from the rest of society like sources of embarrassment and shame. To try to change this way of thinking, the Special Olympics will be held in November. But in the meantime, the committee is organizing events that will get the disabled involved in outdoor events and help raise funds. This Saturday, September fourth there will be a run-a-thon from Benque to Belmopan. Coordinator Robin Davis and Public Relations Officer Golda Swift stopped by Channel Five to tell us more.

Golda Swift, Public Relations Officer, Special Olympics

“At six a.m. we’re going to start the run and we’ll be going around Benque two times in relation to collecting funds. That is our major thing in Benque so we’re going to be addressing that and we’re going to be having people, volunteers, B.D.F. volunteers running and some kids will be running and we’ll be having a truck in case of emergencies.”

Robin Davis, Coordinator, Special Olympics

“There really is no funding. That’s why we’re doing all this fundraising. Not only the run-a-thon, September eleventh, September twenty-first, we’re doing barbecues. So we’re looking for people to help to give donations, to sponsor. All the people that are working on it are volunteers and I feel that part of my job is to get Belizeans who would be able to give some of their time to volunteer because there isn’t any money right now.”

A bus leaves the Special Education Unit at the Belize Teachers’ Training College this Saturday morning at four a.m. Golda and Robin would like to thank Big H, Batty’s Bus and Zeta for their sponsorship. Special Olympics is a non profit international program based in one hundred and fifty countries around the world and relies on the support of volunteers.