About Us

Mission

Special Olympics Windsor provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with intellectural diabilites in order to create continuing opportunities for them to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience the joy of achievement, be included in the community, build skills, and make friends.

History

The Special Olympics idea was born in 1965 when a Canadian Physical Education Professor, Dr. Frank Hayden of London, Ontario, discovered that as a result of frequent physical activity, the mental capabilities of people with intellectual disablities improved as their physical capabilities increased. The “Special” Olympic concept was brought to the attention of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the first ever Special Olympics was held in Chicago in 1968. Today, Special Olympics has grown to serve over 2 million athletes with intellectural disablities in more than 150 countires around the world. Special Olympics Windsor, established in 2006, is proud to be part or this organization.

Organizational Structure

Special Olympics Ontario is a community based organiztion in which athletes train and compete in sports clubs located in communities across Ontario. The province is divided into twelve geographical regions. Each region has an area coordinator who is responsible for developing sports clubs, recuriting athletes and volunteers, and providing assistance to the regional competition management team. It is also the coordinators role to increase public awareness, generate fund development and initiate partnerhips with other community agencies.

Windsor is in Region 1 (Southwestern Ontario). The other communities in Region 1 are Chatham, Essex, LaSalle, Sarnia-Lambton and Wallaceburg. Each region also has a working group of volunteers who form the Community Council. The Special Olympics Ontario-Windsor Community Council holds meetings on a monthly basis. The list of 2008 Community Council Members can be found here.

Resources

More information on Special Olympics can be found at the following websites:

Special Olympics Ontario-Windsor
3332 Randolph Ave.
Windsor, Ontario
N9E 3E7
(519) 250-4024

We are a charitable organization.