The excitement isn’t quite done yet for Special Olympics Prince George athletes as they gear up to host the 29th Annual Prince George Charity Golf Classic on Friday.
“We’ve got 26 teams that have registered, we’re full, it’s a gunshot start,” said Special Olympics Prince George Public Relations Coordinator Wilma Van Hage.
“We’ve got some athletes, four athletes that are going to do putting, they can pay the athletes and they’ll do a putt for you, we also have another hole, we’ve got four athletes that will do a drive for you, so that’s another fundraiser.”
According to Van Hage, this is the major fundraiser of the year for Special Olympics Prince George, and helps fund the program throughout the year.
“Transportation is a very big cost for us, whenever we want to go somewhere to compete, we’re paying for a bus, hotels, meals, all that kind of stuff,” she explained.
“Also just paying for rentals on facilities, things like that, equipment, uniforms.”
Van Hage said the athletes who take part in the tournament enjoy the day as well.
“It works really well, because all the golfers get to meet the athletes because they’re at the holes, so everybody will meet up with the athletes,” she said.
“We have a dinner after with an a live auction, silent auction and the athletes are certainly involved with that as well.”
“Usually we take a break throughout the summer, and then registration starts in September,” Van Hage said.
“A lot of the programs will start up in October, and then some of our winter ones, like the snowshoeing, will come a little bit later.”
Van Hage said Special Olympics runs on a four-year cycle.
“So the first year would be a regional qualifier, the following year is the provincials, and then from there you would go to nationals and the following year you would go to worlds,” she explained.
She added 2026 will be a regional year for the winter sports, which includes:
- Snowshoeing,
- Floorball,
- Five pin bowling,
- Curling,
Van Hage noted they would like to get their cross-country skiing program again, and currently they are looking for a coach in the sport.
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