Tell us a bit about yourself – family, work, hobbies and interests?
I’ve been married to Ian for 34 years and we have three adult daughters, two sons-in-law and one grandson. My work is Special Olympics – I’m lucky that I’m able to focus on volunteering. I also love scrapbooking, I’m actually working on a Special Olympics regional photo album at the moment, which involves going through piles of photos from the last 25 years. Aside from that, I enjoy gardening, but really my family and grandson are the most important things.
I started off 11 years ago with the local swimming club for people with disabilities. I got involved with them after they were recommended to my daughter Sheryl, who was diagnosed with autism when she was 16. She, along with my other two daughters, had started swimming at the age of 5 but had given it up as she grew older. Once she got involved with the Club I came on board as the Treasurer – thrown into the deep end! About six years ago I became a swimming coach. I’ve been in my current position, which is Club Coordinator and Coach, for two years now. I started coaching athletics last year. I’ve really just gone where I’ve been needed, and have worked my way up.
I’ve travelled to three National Games and will be heading to Athens next year for the Special Olympics World Summer Games. My first National Games were in Auckland, where I was a helper, and then I went to the Christchurch National Games as the Head Swimming Coach. In 2009 I went to the National Games in Palmerston North as a Team Manager. I’ve been lucky enough to be selected as the Tenpin Bowling Coach for the New Zealand delegation heading to Athens next year .
It’s got to be the looks on the athletes’ faces – they just show so much enthusiasm. The athletes ask for so little but they get so much out of it, and so do the volunteers. The whole atmosphere is inspiring.
Come aboard – the rewards are there. The athletes don’t have any expectations, so you’re able to give as little or as much time as you can, but you do get so much out of it. I believe that everyone should volunteer for something, and what better way to do it than with Special Olympics? Our founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, saw a need, and more people should follow in her footsteps. Volunteering for Special Olympics really makes better people of us all.