As Special Olympics athletes head home, organizers are happy with how the Winter Games turned out.
Chair of the Games Organizing Committee Barry Streib says Special Olympics Canada officials praised the event for being well-organized.
“Very pleased with the quality of work that was put into it,” Streib notes, adding the Games Organizing Committee team was “second-to-none” and brought plenty of experience to the table. “We had one of the best teams in Canada, so we’re very proud of that.”
The Chair adds it was good to see the community and volunteers come together for the Games. Streib feels they made it a great experience, starting from when everyone arrived to when the event wrapped up.
“Volunteers were welcoming them, it was just nice to see our community step up and do a really good job to make everybody’s stay here really good,” he notes.
Saturday featured the Closing Ceremony and a dance for athletes, and extinguishing the Flame of Hope.
The torch was placed within view of the dance at the ballroom at the Valhalla Inn, Streib explains, “And when that moment happened, there was this palpable excitement about it that the Games were over, but at the same time there was a sense of sadness that it was over, too.”
“I think that was a special moment for all of us involved,” he adds.
The organizer notes that following the Canada Winter Games, certain athletes will be able to qualify through Special Olympics Canada for Team Canada for the 2021 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
