|
||||||||
| Special Olympics is indeed a meaningful and important event worldwide and this year, it will be held in North Caroline in June. The volunteers who are involved in the preparation of Special Olympics in Singapore have definitely been through several difficulties when they first decided to take part in this worldwide event which is held every four years, |  |
|||||||
| involving more than a hundred and fifty countries all over the world. We have managed to interview two volunteers, Mr. Robin Chua, the president of Special Olympics Singapore and Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang who is the honorary secretary of Special Olympics Singapore Executive Committee, for their views on Special Olympics, the difficulties faced and things they hope to achieve. | ||||||||
 |
Both Mr. Chua and Dr Teo feel that Special Olympics has been a great programme for the athletes and people working with them. It had been a big event held for the benefits of the athletes who learn new skills in sports. Through participation in Special Olympics, the athletes exposed to more people and learn to open up and improve on their communication skills. | |||||||
| It also allows the athletes to build up their confidence and gain independence as they become less dependent on their family and the society, especially since they have to go abroad to take part in Special Olympics alone, unaccompanied by their family members, and make new friends with people from other countries. | ||||||||
|
Mr. Robin Chua has been doing volunteer work since 1983. From the beginning he knew he wanted to do something more fulfilling with his life by serving the less fortunate. As president of Special Olympics Singapore, one of the difficulties he face is getting the right volunteers who are committed to serve on a long-term basis and have expert knowledge on certain sports. Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, honorary secretary of Special Olympics Singapore as well as vice dean of the the School of Physical education, echoed Mr. Chua's sentiments. In addition, she finds it not easy to get sponsors. As such, they have to raise funds on their own. Despite these, both Mr. Chua and Dr Teo-Koh hope that through Project SOAR, there would be greater awareness and recognition for the Special Olympics games and greater understanding of these special group of athletes. It is their desire to see more people come forward to serve in this special organization and in turn be transformed in their own lives, through the realisation of the true spirit of the games....... "Let me be brave in the attempt." |
||||||||
|