Annual Report Special Olympics Canada Our Mission 07 Message From Our CEO 08 Board of Directors 10 Partner Thank You 12 Strategic Plan 14 Reach Athletes 18 Volunteers 19 Communities 20 Sport Programs 22 Volunteer & Coach Education 24 Healthy Athletes Program 25 Research Grants 27 Impact Instilling Confidence 30 Fostering Healthy Athletes 32 Changing Attitudes 34 Strengthening Communities 35 Dedicated to Year in Review Frank D. Selke Jr. Chapter Highlights 38 1930 – 2013 National Office Highlights 42 Hockey Story 44 National Golf Tournament 45 To our greatest ambassador, we are grateful for Be a Fan Day 45 all that you gave our movement and our athletes. New Sports 45 We know your gifts will continue to strengthen National Awards Program 46 Special Olympics Canada for many years to come. Festival Breakfast and Gala 48 Fundraising Partners 49 National Office Financial Statements 52 Special Olympics Canada “A rewarding life is filled with challenge. So do not pity me, give me a chance.” - Ryan Johnson Special Olympics Canada Athlete Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave Our Mission Special Olympics Canada is dedicated in the attempt. to enriching the lives of Canadians with Special Olympics Athlete Oath an intellectual disability through active participation in sport. 7 2014 will bring some huge moments for Special Olympics Canada, too. Next July, we will host our biggest-ever National Summer Games in Vancouver, B.C. Our Games Organizing Committee comprises many veterans of the 2010 VANOC group, including Canadian Olympic medallist Cathy Priestner Allinger. Anyone interested in attending or volunteering, or finding out more information on the Games, should visit the official website of the 2014 National Summer Games at vancouver2014.com. But we’re not just about big events. Put simply, Special Olympics is every day, in communities across Canada. And our programs have dynamic impacts, from instilling confidence in our athletes and developing skills they might not even know they have, to ensuring they live healthier lives, to fostering a more inclusive society and strengthening communities. For those of you already involved in Special Olympics, whether as an athlete, Message From Our CEO coach, volunteer, family member or supporter, we hope this report gives you some further insight into how we’re enriching the lives of Canadians with Members of the Special Olympics family, intellectual disabilities daily through active participation in sport. For those 2012–13 was a great year for Special Olympics Canada. It was a year of of you not as familiar, I hope this report motivates you to become part of this renewal and revitalization, while also celebrating our history and traditions. wonderful, and growing, global movement. I guarantee you will get more out Among the many accomplishments this past year, Special Olympics Canada of the experience than you can ever imagine. launched its five-year pan-Canadian Strategic Plan, hosted our inaugural national golf tournament, and brought home a record 109 medals from the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in South Korea, scoring Sincerely, numerous personal bests. Other 2012–13 highlights included an increase in youth enrolment in Special Olympics programs, a partnership summit to solicit the insights and feedback of our long-time partners, and celebrating two major milestones: the 30th anniversary of the Special Olympics Festival for Special Olympics Lindsay Glassco and the 25th anniversary of the Law Enforcement Torch Run®’s support of President & CEO Special Olympics in Canada. Special Olympics Canada 9 Officers Beverley Hammond, Chair, CEO, Republic Dan Golberg, Vice Chair, Vice President, Consumer Loyalty and Relationship Management, TELUS Board of Directors Colin MacKinnon, Past-Chair, Senior Vice President and CFO, B.C.A.A. We are fortunate to be able to draw upon the experience and Martin Fingerhut, Treasurer, Partner, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP talents of a committed group of volunteers who provide leadership at the highest level of governance, our national board of directors. Directors They come from a diverse range of industry and professional backgrounds, but are united in their commitment to advance the John Barnett, President and CEO, Rothmans, Benson and Hedges Inc. Special Olympics movement here in Canada. Andrew Bulmer, SVP, Managing Director Canada, Active International John Clinton, CEO, Edelman Canada Gary Daniel, Partner, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Ernie Eves, Q.C., Former Premier of Ontario Wm. Murray Faulkner, Chief of Police, Retired, London Police Service Gerry Frappier, President and General Manager, Le Réseau des sports (RDS) Lindsay Glassco, President and CEO, Special Olympics Canada Mike Lamontagne, Executive Vice President, Etratech Enterprises Inc. Murdoch McKay, Commissioner, Canadian Grain Commission Anne Merklinger, Chief Executive Officer, Own The Podium Jason Storsley, CFA, Vice President, Operations Optimization, RBC Mark Tewksbury, President, GTI Inc. Marc Thériault, Athlete Representative Tom Wright, Director of UFC Operations: Canada, Australia, New Zealand 11 Partner Thank You Silver Partners It is the support of our partners that allows our team to accomplish so much. Through their involvement, we can offer programs and services to thousands who may not have access to the benefits an active life can offer. Gold Partners Bronze Partners In-Kind Service Partners 13 Athlete Experience Advance Quality Build Connect Fans S Sports & R Communities & Funds A Competitions ILL P 1 2 3 ey Develop Movement Leadership 5 K 4 5 Establish Sustainable Capabilities Special Olympics Foundation: Mission, Values and Model of Change Strategic Plan In 2012, Special Olympics Canada (SOC) launched a new five-year SOC’s aspiration is to grow significantly and to deliver our programs to even Strategic Plan, which follows in the footsteps of Special Olympics International’s more Canadians with an intellectual disability. We have set ambitious athlete, five-year plan, but is geared specifically to the needs of athletes, volunteers volunteer and revenue growth targets (an increase of 7% for athletes and and coaches in Canada. The 2012–17 Strategic Plan is a pan-Canadian plan revenue, 6% for volunteers), while remaining equally committed to delivering and represents the interests and commitment of national and chapter high-quality sport opportunities. leaders to work together to advance the movement across our nation. An example of an early initiative to come out of the Strategic Plan was the Following the Special Olympics Global Strategic Plan, the SOC plan is national partnership summit hosted by SOC in March 2013. One of the based on five strategic pillars. Each pillar contains very specific initiatives goals for the “Connect Fans and Funds” pillar is to better understand what that address not only the goals we want to achieve, but how we intend to our partners, and their stakeholders, are looking for in their relationship achieve those goals. with SOC. More than 75 people took part in the summit, which consisted of presentations, breakout discussions and a reception. Feedback was extremely positive and has resulted in greater engagement from our partners, along with a better understanding of the Special Olympics brand in Canada, as well as SOC’s strategic direction. SOC will look to replicate this success and ensure we are on the same page as our partners in future summits. 15 Reach Special Olympics Canada delivers world-class sport programs to people with an intellectual disability in hundreds of communities across Canada. Our programs cater to all ages and a wide range of abilities, and are supported locally by volunteers in 12 provincial/territorial chapters. Athletes Volunteers Through sport, Special Olympics has created a global platform that 16,452 volunteers support Special Olympics Canada, 12,204 of whom are engages one of the most neglected, marginalized and vulnerable trained coaches. Volunteers also include trainers, officials, event organizers, populations in the world – individuals with an intellectual disability. fundraisers and managers. These volunteers are the backbone of our organization and continue to provide our athletes with the support they As of June 2013, there were 35,880 registered athletes in year-round deserve, bringing out the champion within them. Special Olympics programs across the country. These programs improve the quality of life of athletes through sport and give them the confidence to be contributing and engaged members of society. Athletes are then able to live healthier, fuller and more active lives. Matt’s Story Natalie’s Story Matt Morrow, Athlete, Special Olympics Ontario Natalie Brnjas, Head Volunteer, Special Olympics Manitoba “I don’t even want to think about what my life would be like now if it wasn’t for Special Olympics. All my life, I have had no self-confidence, “I started with Special Olympics Manitoba (SOM) five years ago. and I was always worried about what other people thought. When A friend of mine wanted to volunteer and didn’t want to do it alone. I joined Special Olympics in 1994, my confidence slowly started Now, I have put in five years and Special Olympics has become such building. I got started in sports like powerlifting and track and field, an important part of my life, I plan to put in many more years! and then had a chance to play on the softball team. When I first started I was quiet and nervous, and I was unsure of My best softball experience was our Silver Medal win at this summer’s how to interact with the athletes. I have learned so much over the Provincial Games in York Region. I’ve also had a lot of success in past few years. Now, I am willing to share ideas/suggestions, am powerlifting and swimming. In 2012, I made it to the Provincial Games no longer nervous, have gained confidence, and am considered as a in both swimming and powerlifting. co-head coach by my head coach on two different teams.