TORONTO, Ontario, Oct. 18, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Honorable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport & Persons with Disabilities, along with Special Olympics Canada, will lead a group of parliamentarians and a team of Special Olympics athletes in a friendly soccer match on Parliament Hill. The competition, on the front lawn of the hill, is one of two events marked for Special Olympics Canada's Hill Day, a daylong visit that will see more than 70 Special Olympics athletes, family members, volunteers and staff members from across the country gather for meetings with MPs and Senators.
Later that evening, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport & Persons with Disabilities, parliamentaries, and Sharon Bollenbach, CEO Special Olympics Canada, will speak about the benefits of the sport organization for Canadians with an intellectual disability at a reception organized for MPs and Senators and Special Olympics athletes and their families.
Some Friendly Competition @ Noon on the Hill
WHAT - Special Olympics Canada athletes, along with Members of Parliament will enjoy some friendly competition in what has become a traditional 'athletic competition' on the front lawn of Parliament Hill. Teams are composed of Members of Parliament or Senate and Special Olympics athletes.
WHEN/WHERE – Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Parliament Hill – Front Lawn (Ottawa, Ontario)
12:15 – 1:15 PM
Suggested press time: 12:00PM – 1:00PM
WHO: Game Announcer – Mark Tewksbury, Olympic Gold medalist and Special Olympics Canada Board Vice Chair.
Members of Parliament and the Senate participating:
Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport & Persons with Disabilities
… and more to be announced
Special Olympics Canada Hill Day Reception
WHAT – Together with the Honorable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport & Persons with Disabilities, Special Olympics athletes, families, and chapter representatives will attend an afternoon reception where they will meet, and share stories about how the Special Olympics movement is impacting lives in communities across Canada.
WHEN/WHERE – Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Centre Block, Room 238-S (Ottawa, Ontario)
5:30PM – 7:00 PM
Remarks begin at 6:00 PM as follows:
The Honorable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport & Persons with Disabilities
Sharon Bollenbach, CEO Special Olympics Canada
Special Olympics Athlete – Veronique LeBlanc, Special Olympics New Brunswick
About Special Olympics Canada
Established in 1969, the Canadian chapter of this international movement is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through the transformative power and joy of sport. Operating out of sport clubs in all Canadian provinces and territories, except Nunavut, this grassroots movement reaches beyond the sphere of sport to empower individuals, change attitudes and build communities. From two-year-olds to mature adults, more than 42,500 athletes with an intellectual disability are registered in Special Olympics year-round programs across Canada. They are supported by more than 20,500 volunteers, including more than 15,700 trained coaches.
For more information, visit www.specialolympics.ca or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@SpecialOCanada).