Meet Ray. At 79 years old, Ray was the oldest competitor at the Special Olympics New Zealand 2009 National Summer Games.
Ray has been a member of Special Olympics since 1984. He lives with minimal support in an Idea Services home with four other middle-aged men. In 1990, Ray retired from his job at a local company where he was responsible for keeping printing rooms immaculate and making morning and afternoon tea.
Ray and Thomas, Richard and Grant won gold in the bocce team event and Ray and Thomas won bronze in bocce doubles at the 2009 Games.
Ray, who is described by Club volunteers as “an old school gentleman” has been to six of the seven National Summer Games since they began in the 1980s but 2009 was the first time he competed in bocce – in the past, he competed in indoor bowls.
Ray says he was very proud to win his gold medal. Bocce is a good game, he says, and one he enjoys playing.