Special Olympics
To all Host Town Volunteers………Gracias!
By Castlebar Host Town Committee
23, Jun 2003 - 10:18

Castlebar Host Town Committee would like to sincerely thank each of the 205 volunteers who gave their time and energy to assist the Venezuelan delegation last week. Volunteer Co-ordinator Carmel Dooley says she is tremendously proud of the way in which the people of Castlebar responded to the challenge of the Host Town Programme and became volunteers.

Volunteers were active in many areas including serving breakfast and lunches, manning the reception /medical centre at Lough Lannagh and transporting the athletes to and from venues. Volunteers were also needed to act as translators for the delegation, to provide medical and dental services, to accompany the athletes on their daytime trips and to assist them in their sports training. Carmel praised the resourcefulness and dedication of the volunteers saying that many volunteers who were scheduled for one or two shifts often turned up for three or more. Many volunteers took even personal leave or holidays from work in order to be of assistance. Castlebar Host Town committee chairman Pat Stanton said this enormous volunteer activity was the largest the town had ever known and because of it the Venezuelan Special Olympic athletes had enjoyed the trip of a lifetime

By way of acknowledgement for this extraordinary generosity on the part of the volunteers Castlebar Host Town committee is organising a coach to the Games in Dublin on Thursday 26^th June. The coach will depart Lough Lannagh village at 8am and will leave the Phoenix Park for the return journey at 6pm. Volunteers who have official accreditation passes will be able to avail of free transport on the shuttle busses to the venues. As numbers on the bus are limited any volunteer who intends travelling is asked to give his/her name as soon as possible to Tracey in the Adult Education Office on 094-23159. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.