The event will see Australia welcomemore than 1,700 Special Olympic athletes, 600 coaches, 4,000 volunteers andapproximately 200,000 spectators from 25 nations across the Asia Pacific region.

Representing your country insport is a great honour and a wonderful experience.  To ensure that you are eligible for selection it is important that you compete at regional and state Special Olympics competitions.  All athletes are notified of competitions via email so keepan eye on that subject heading and who knows - maybe you will be an Australian representative in 2013!

I would like to thank our wonderful athletes - Lucy, Michael, Harry, Shane, Shaun and Bridget for once again giving up their spare time and helping to raise funds for our region. Without the help of athletes we would not raise nearly as much as we do. Congratulations to you all, you did a great job as usual.

It is very disappointing that we cannot get more athletes to come along to help out. These awareness days not only raise funds for SOSUNS, but also help an athlete’s self esteem. I love organising these days as I have seen athletes come along, who first time are quite shy and quiet, but after doing more and more of these days grow significantly in confidence.

I will be organising another awareness day in the near future at Macquarie Shopping Centre and hope that we can get a few more athletes along.

Thanks

Karen Bender

Enjoy the highly reviewed movie ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ 

When: Thursday 22nd March - complimentary supper from 7pm

Where: Roseville Cinema

Cost:  Tickets are just $25 each and include a complimentary supper from 7pm

Why:  All profits will go towards the SOSUNS weekly sports program for our athletes. 

Click on this link for the SOSUNS Movie Night Invitation for further information including how to purchase tickets.

For further information contact SOSUNS Fundraising Chair, Janene Cook on janenecook@hotmail.com

The Brickpit
Dartford Road
Thornleigh
Sunday: 4pm - 5:30pm
Contact: Anthea Karseboom  0418 778 869  antot@hotmail.com

North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre
Cnr of Clarke and Oxley Rds
Crows Nest
Sunday 4pm - 5pm
Contact:  John Larcombe  0402 201 929  john.larcombe8@bigpond.com

SOSUNS teams achieved two second places and a third place in some very close, hard fought matches. 

Thank you very much to Anthea Karseboom for single handedly organising the carnival and to the volunteers and referees.  Young Riverview College volunteers, Nick, Nick and Will also did a great job.  Thank you also to Hornsby Spiders for making the courts available.

SOSUNS athlete Stephanie Walker recently joined the Bupa Heroes team of Special Olympics athletes who participated in the Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids Tryathlon along with thousands of other Aussie kids. 

Steph competed at Sydney Olympic Park and loved the atmosphere of being amongst other kids all registering for the event and placing their bikes amongst the rows and rows of bikes, wondering how they would ever find them again.

Steph was justifiably very proud of herself as she completed every leg of the triathlon - 150m swim, 3km cycle and 500m run.   Supporters cheered loudly as Steph crossed the finish line, triumphant, glad to be finished and very very proud!

Thankyou to all the wonderful athletes and parents who came to help.  Without the charm of our SOSUNS athletes these days would not be the success that they are.

Fundraising Manager, Annette Dearing has organised another Awareness Day on 10th March at St Ives Village Shopping Centre.  We hope to see a great roll up of athletes on this day too and see if we can better the amount raised at Chatswood.  The challenge is on!

If you can help please contact Karen Bender on 0402 115 364.

The SOSUNS Performance Dance Group, in their capacity as Australia Day Ambassadors, were recently invited to perform at Jindabyne, Adaminaby, Berridale and a local Aged Hostel.  Ambassador Mel Eustace spoke in all locations and really connected with the audience.  The dancers performed with their usual enthusiasm dancing each dance as though it was their first.  With 15 dances over the 4 locations their energy was incredible!

Fran and the girls have a rest stop

After each performance the dancers took the time to introduce themselves to locals, something that was immensely appreciated.  They met the Mayor and other officials, had a huge number of photos taken and endeared themselves to everyone.  “The SOSUNS dancers made this the best Australia Day ever!!” said many of the locals.  The parents of the dancers, who are not all biased, agreed wholeheartedly with this sentiment.

Still a long way to go!

 
In their free time (their very little free time), the dancers and parents had great fun taking the chairlift partway up Mount Kosciosko and then completing the 6km trek to the top of the mountain and then 6km back.  Everyone rose to the occasion and were proud to pose on top of the highest mountain in Australia with the Australian and Special Olympics flags.   It really was a moment where disability was put aside and ability shone through.  Needless to say that with a lot of puffing the parents made it too.

Yes Stewart, you made it!

It was another great Australia Day for the SOSUNS Performance Dance Group as they spread the message of inclusion and pride of being an Australian.

Ten year old Belinda Scott has found her calling in life and it is to run.  Belinda just loves to run.  According to Belinda’s mum Gillian, “The highlight of Belinda’s week is running training and during the summer Little Athletics and in the winter, Cross Country.  Belinda’s only concern in life is that she will be late for running!”

It has been an extremely succesful year in competition for Belinda.  In the primary schools athletics competition she has competed at a regional, state and national level.  The highlight was Belinda’s 2nd in the 800m and 4th in the 200m at Nationals which were held in Darwin.

At the Sydney North Regional Competition Belinda won the 800m and came second in five other events.

Since starting weekly athletics training early in 2011 Belinda has improved in enormous leaps.  At a recent Little Athletics meet Belinda achieved a 65 second personal best in the 1500m - proof of the potential of this brilliant athlete.

“The enthusiasm that  Belinda has for athletics and the self confidence it is giving her is contributing to success in the classroom,” according to Gillian who was very proud to attend Belinda’s school presentation where she won a class award.

At the recent SOSUNS Christmas party Belinda was awarded the Athlete of the Year trophy for athletics for the second year running.  Showing her versatility Belinda also won Most Improved for cricket.

Belinda is certainly a star to watch, especially in 2012 where one of her goals is to compete in the Special Olympics Junior National Games to be held in Newcastle in December.

Three SOSUNS athletes were given extremely important roles to play in the 2011 Campaign. 

Mel Eustace was chosen to be an ambassador which involved her speaking at an event.

Audrey O’Conner was chosen as the ‘face’ of the Campaign and thoroughly enjoyed a day of modelling which result4ed in the photo of her on the cover of the Campaign magazine.  Have a look at the video of Audrey enjoying her day of modelling which has been placed on the SOSUNS website homepage.

Finally, our very own SOSUNS musician, Stewart Abbott, was given the honour of playing a medley of three songs with John Foreman at the Campaign Launch.  John Foreman was thrilled to have the honour of playing with Stewart who did a fantastic job.  Click on this link to watch Stewart.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ogOB7WhpY