Special Olympics Papua New Guinea Celebrating

The finals of the Special Olympics Five (5) A-Side Play Unified Football Competition will take place at the Rita Flynn Netball Courts on Friday 14th October from 9.30am -11.00am.  The ten (10) Teams started competing since May this year are Cheshire DisAbility Services, Callan Special Education Centre-Gerehu, Red Cross Special School –Hohola, Hohola Demonstration Primary School, Wardstrip Primary School, SO Gabagaba Team 1, SO Gabagaba Team 2 and SOPNG.
The first game at 9.30am-10.00am will see Red Cross Special School and Gabagaba 1 play for 3rd and 4th Placing. The second game at 10.00am -10.30am will be between Cheshire Disability Services and Hohola Demonstration Primary School for 1st and 2nd  Placing.
The Play Unified Competition is a first of its kind conducted by Special Olympics PNG to create awareness amongst young people to recognised, socialize and play together with intellectual Disabilities and know that they can have fun together.
“This competition is changing sports for people with disabilities and I have so many parents contacting us to include their children”, these are the words of Willie Vaira SOPNG Play Unified Head Coach.

President of Special Olympics PNG Olympian Takale Tuna wants sports people, athletes, coaches and volunteers and especially young people to be aware of people with disabilities in their settings and talk to them instead of ignoring them, include them in their conversations and in their sports activities.
He said Special Olympics PNG is also using the competition to promote the different messages to especially young people.  And one important message Special Olympics PNG is promoting this Friday 14th October is Global Hand Washing Day, the theme this year is “Making hand washing a habit”  
Hand washing is part of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Program  and it is very important that athletes, parents, guardians and relatives are reminded to ensure athletes with intellectual disabilities wash their hands with soap before eating, handling food and after using the toilets. Our athletes need to be reminded all the time because they forget and cannot do simple things that we take for granted.
Mr Tuna thanked the participating schools, teachers and students  and supporting organisations namely, Don Bosco Technological Institute, PNG Football Association, PNG Sports Foundation, Paradise Foods Limited and Reagan Milstein Foundation,  Team , Barakau, Gabagaba  and a very special thank you to official sponsor Digicel PNG Limited.
For more information check out Special Olympics PNG Facebook www.facebook.com/specialolympicspng
Contact:  Our National Programs Volunteer Sophia Tuna on 73381808 or email SOPNG at this address: specialolympicspapuaniugini@gmail.com