After nearly three months of activities, two programs organized by Special Olympics Estevan have come to an end.
But they will be back in the community this fall.
Active Start, which is for children ages two to six with intellectual disabilities, and Fundamentals, which is for those ages seven to 12, were offered at the Estevan Leisure Centre’s multipurpose room each Friday night since Jan. 4.
They wrapped up on Friday, with the kids participating in some of their favourite activities, and the older youths participating in a Fundamentals Olympics.
Each of the children received certificates and medals.
“We had 21 kids registered, and most attended every … week,” said event spokesperson Kandyce Meili. “Everybody had a really good time. We noticed a lot of improvements in the kids, and so have the parents.”
Improvements were seen in motor skills, patience in lineups, listening skills, balance and more. They also learned a variety of sports.
“We did activities like baseball, soccer and basketball, but it started out with just the beginnings of it all, like the catching, throwing, jumping and hopping and things like that,” said Meili.
Parents have been very pleased with the program, explaining to Meili about how they felt welcome.
“The kids themselves really were happy with everything. Some of the kids went home and would practise the skills from one week to the next, and were excited talking about it before they went to class the following weeks.”
A fall session for Active Start and Fundamentals will be opening in September, and there will be a winter session from January to March.
Other initiatives will be starting in the community in the meantime, thanks to the success of Active Start and Fundamentals. Special Olympics Estevan is partnering with the Estevan Youth Soccer Association to create the Free to Be Program for children with physical and intellectual disabilities. It will run at the same time as the soccer association’s programs.
It will be free for those with special needs.
Also, the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club and Living Skies CrossFit are teaming up for a couple of TryIt nights April 4 and 5 for kids with special needs.
“We met with them and asked them if they would be interested, and they both jumped on board,” said Meili.
Meili believes these programs are something that the community needed, and now that other organization are coming on board, she believes it’s proof that people recognize the need.
“It’s exciting that there’s so much now available, so that it’s not that they have to do this because it’s the only thing available, now they get to start making choices as to what they would like to do,” she said.
